Voyager in a Storm
by Calenlithien Aqua de Mort
Summary: Long awaited new chapter! BIG BIG thanks for those who wrote me encouraging mail! I luuuuuv you guys! Find out now who is that mysterious stranger in Shaka's life! R&R please!
1. Default Chapter

Voyager in a Storm  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Hilda was sitting on her bed, she felt restless and useless ever since her warriors died. She had even thought about suicide, for what meant her life without the people that protected her and cared for her. All of a sudden though, there was a flash before her eyes, and the smell of roses filled her bedroom. She looked up, and when the smoke cleared, she saw a girl standing in front of her. Now Hilda was a beautiful woman, she knew that, but she would never be able to match the beauty of this young lady. She had long golden hair that fell in curls down to her knees. It glowed with an almost inner light, making it look like pure gold. It seemed so soft that Hilda almost extended her hand to see if it indeed was. Her eyes, blue as the sky on a sunlit day, with little golden specks scattered through the blue, like sunbeams, shone with a soft inner light, and her face was pale and perfectly shaped, as ivory.  
  
Hilda gasped. Her voice sounded weak to her own ears when she asked  
  
"Who ... Who are you?"  
  
When the girl spoke, her voice sounded so soft that it seemed to Hilda she heard angels singing.  
  
"Don't fear me Hilda. Please follow me to your throne room, I will explain everything to you there, and I have a surprise for you."  
  
At that moment Freya knocked on the door and entered the room, without waiting for her sisters affirmation. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the newcomer, and she immediately felt threatened by the other's beauty and the wonderful hair that fell down to her knees, which was longer and seemed softer than Freya's own. The girl smiled at Freya though, and told her to come to the throne room with her and Hilda.  
  
When the three women arrived at the throne room, the new girl immediately took place on the throne. Freya's first intention was to tell her she was not allowed to do so, since this was the rightful place of her sister, but Hilda put a calming hand on her arm and shook her head. Freya hadn't seen how the girl appeared, hadn't smelt the roses. She was sure something important was going to happen and she didn't want to spoil it by making this angel angry.  
  
The girl closed her eyes, and a soft glow appeared around her, which Hilda recognized as a powerful cosmo. She had never seen a cosmo like this though, since it glowed in all the colours of the rainbow, as well as golden and silver, it looked wonderful. Slowly the glow expanded until it enveloped the whole room. Hilda felt Freya shivering under her hand, and pulled her sister in a close embrace. She was sure that they were about to witness a miracle, and that there was nothing to fear. Somehow, she even thought, in the back of her mind, that she would never have to fear anything in her whole life again.  
  
Hilda turned when she felt a concentration of the girl's cosmo behind her, instead of on the throne. She blinked her eyes when in the smoke (there was that rose smell again), several figures formed. What, they seemed so familiar, no, it wasn't possible. Hilda let go of Freya to make a step forward. She whispered, tears springing to her eyes.  
  
"Siegfried?"  
  
And indeed, when the smoke cleared, there they were, all of them. Siegfried, Hagen, Thor, Fenrir, Mime, Alberich, Syd and Bud. All of her God Warriors, alive. She could hardly believe it, how was this possible. But she no longer hesitated when Siegfried smiled at her, and she ran right into his arms, after which Freya ran to Hagen, who held her tight. After the first shock and the first welcoming between the lovers, and between the Priestess and her sacred Warriors, Hilda turned to the girl, who still sat on the throne, a tender smile around her beautiful, curved pink lips.  
  
"Who are you? How did you do this?"  
  
The girl closed her eyes for a moment, as if pondering some subject. Then she looked straight into Hilda's eyes and said  
  
"OK, well, maybe we should make ourselves a bit more comfortable, since the story I am about to tell you is quite long."  
  
Hilda suggested they would go to the lounge room, where they could comfortably sit on some couches conveniently put there in a half circle around the fireplace. Freya sat close to Hagen, her arm firmly tucked away under his arm, and caressing his hand from time to time. Hilda and Siegfried also sat close together, but they were a bit more discrete, and didn't touch eachother. The other Warriors all sat a bit apart, clearly not knowing what to expect from the situation, nor from the others.  
  
"My name is The'li C'liffo'th Vril-ya, but my friends call me Theli. I come from the Land of Eusyram, where my parents rule in peace. I have come here to ask for your help in a battle that is coming, and that will need all of the Earth's Defenders joining in order to keep our planet safe."  
  
She looked around a moment, watching them intently, to see what impact her words had on the people around her. She noticed Siegfried staring at her, at which point she softly smiled at him. His face immediately flushed and he turned away his eyes, which made The'li frown slightly. She immediately pulled herself back together though, because frowning was bad for her complexion, it would cause her wrinkles before her age. She noticed everyone was staring at her, thinking about what she had said.  
  
"But I think I should better start this story at the beginning and that is by explaining who I am exactly. It all started when my mother was abducted by the old ruler of Eusyram, an old man who was in search for a wonderfully beautiful young woman, to satisfy his needs. She gave birth to several sons after she was taken by him, but out of fear for being overthrown by one of his sons when they grew up, he each time ripped them away from their mother's breast and abandoned them somewhere, nobody knows where, and nobody ever found trace of them again. But one day, a young man was imprisoned by his brother, in a place he called Cap Sunion. Now that prison was in fact the portal to our world, but the brother didn't know that. And so Kanon arrived in Eusyram one day. Since people are really nice and friendly and just soooo adorable, they took him in, and one day told him the story of the ruler and his young, wonderfully beautiful and sweet wife. Outraged by the injustice of everything, Kanon went to the Castle and freed the woman from her eeevil husband, chasing him out of Eusyram forever and ever, so that he never would be seen again! And that's how mommy and daddy met. She fell in love with him, and he with her, and since they are both such beautiful and wonderful persons, the people of Eusyram elected them to their Queen and King, and about a year later, I was born."  
  
She let the words sink in. Her listeners were still trying to grasp the true meaning of all that she said, and she smiled inwardly knowing what an impact her next words would have on the people around her.  
  
"Now, one of the reasons why I'm here is because when we learnt about the threat that is to fall upon Earth, my mother told me that she was originally from Asgard, and that she had a sister here. Now just before she was abducted, they were making preparations for the mariage of her elder sister, with the Highpriest of Asgard..."  
  
Hilda's and Freya's heads both jerked up at the same time. They both looked with big eyes into The'li's, which were now twinkling in a soft brown, her pupils now pure as gold. She slowly nodded, which made her curls softly bob up and down on her forehead, which made her look even more angelic and cute than she already did before.  
  
"Yes, my mother was the younger sister of your mother."  
  
Hilda jumped up! She exclaimed in an excited voice!  
  
"Of course!!! Mother told us about her sister! She told the story when we were little girls, when we would fight over something, she'd always say that we should be lucky that we had eachother, for one day if our sis would be gone, it would feel as a terrible loss, and that she was the perfect witness of this!"  
  
She turned on her feet in a swift movement, her hair due to this swinging in Siegfried's face, who coughed slightly, and then flushed again when he looked up, straight in The'li's eyes.  
  
"Then it means you are my cousin!!!"  
  
She turned to her sister, with the same kind of swift movement.  
  
"Did you hear it Freya, she's our cousin!!!!"  
  
Freya, contrary to Hilda, had a suspicious look in her eyes, she had noticed that Hagen also kept looking at the girl, and she felt incredibly jealous.  
  
"Then why didn't her mother try to contact our mother after she was saved from that evil husband? Ey, why?"  
  
The'li softly chuckled, making Freya feel even more jealous and even stupid, as if she had said a stupid thing.  
  
"Mommy couldn't come back because her evil husband had hidden a bomb inside of her, which will explode whenever she wants to leave our kingdom. But since now I'm old enough to make it on my own, and with the new threat hanging over our heads, she told me I should come. And here I am!"  
  
Freya still was looking suspicious and was mumbling things in herself, to which Hagen whispered something in her ear, which clearly wasn't to her liking because she stood up, and just stayed still for a moment. She then threw an icecold glance at The'li and slowly walked away, almost stumbling over her own dress on the way out, at which she sobbed and ran. The'li stood up, thinking about going after her, after all, she never meant to hurt anyone by coming here, she thought they'd be thrilled to have her, but Hilda stopped her before she could make a step.  
  
"Don't mind her, she'll calm down in a while, she can never stay angry very long, and besides, she's too curious to just stay away."  
  
Hilda took Siegfried's arm in one of her, and in her other one she took The'li's. She asked the other God Warriors to follow them to the dining room, where she had ordered to be placed a huge welcome back meal for her men. The'li was given the honour to sit at the head of the table, opposite Hilda, who was sitting on the other end. The place where Freya was supposed to sit remained awfully empty. The conversation on the table however wasn't strained because of that fact, it was as if nobody really cared much about the fact that she wasn't there. The'li wondered about that fact, so far she hadn't been very nice to her, but would she be like that to her friends as well, they seemed to be a rather close team otherwise. Only one of them kept aside from the others and hardly joined the conversation. She observed him secretly, Alberich, she would have a private word with him soon, she was looking forward to it. And then she noticed that at her turn, she was being observed as well. She looked right into the clear blue eyes of Siegfried, who this time didn't blush nor looked away. The'li felt a bit uncomfortable, but then she remembered some other clear blue eyes, who were deeper of Siegfrieds, and warmer, and she also remembered the soft blond hair that slid through her hands when she caressed it, and the sensual smile. She shook away the image to focus on the current situation. Siegfried really seemed impressed by her, which of course was only natural, but she had to make it clear to him that her heart was taken and that she would never betray him, her Saint.  
  
Somewhere halfway through dinner, it turned out that Hilda knew her sister very well, because indeed she showed up, and although she had obviously payed a lot of attention to the way she looked, she had obviously cried as well. Her eyes were still a bit red and her face was pale, although her cheecks looked rather flushed. This clearly suggested that indeed she had been crying, and that she felt bad about what she had done. The'li smiled when Freya looked in her direction, but the look the girl gave her didn't show any repent or remorse. The'li sighed and decided this was yet another matter she would have to attend to. The rest of dinner was spent in a pleasant but slightly tense atmosphere. Afterwards, Hilda adressed The'li again.  
  
"Theli, darling, you will stay for a few days, won't you?"  
  
The'li smiled and looked at Hilda with warm dark eyes, almost black as the darkest nights when there are no stars, nor any moon to be seen on the evening sky.  
  
"Yes, if that would please you, I will, but not much longer, because I really have to hurry to tell Athena about the imminent danger."  
  
"Of course, but I'm sure we still have some time left, or else the God Cloths would warn us if it were really near. And I want to hear all about you, your life and what you have done with your life."  
  
The'li smiled again, and took the arm that Hilda extended to her. They only made a few steps after which they were stopped in their tracks by the sounds of a quarrel. When they turned, it was only to witness Bud and Syd fighting. Hagen immediately approached to stop them, but since nobody else seemed willing to assist him in his effort, he was thrown back by the combined force of the twins. He would have been kicked right on top of the dining table, but suddenly hung suspended in mid air, surrounded by a light in the colours of the rainbow. A faint smoke filled the room, and everyoned looked surprised at the smell of roses they suddenly smelled. Hilda closed her eyes and smiled. So far, that smell had meant a good thing when it came from her cousin. Hagen was gently lowered back to the ground, where he brushed the dust of his clothes. The'li stepped forward, her rainbow cosmos shimmering, and the rose-scented smoke now becoming imminent in the room. Now even Bud and Syd realized something was going on, and they stopped fighting. When they saw The'li approaching them, they both pulled their eyes open wide, and stood in front of her full of awe for the power of her cosmos and for the beauty of her golden hair flowing around her in long waves, and her golden eyes glowing with an unearthly light.  
  
"Bud, Syd, please follow me, I have something to tell you."  
  
She slowly walked - it was as if she floated though - towards the door, and disappeared through it. Syd and Byd looked at eachother for an instant and then ran after her. The other God Warriors and Hilda and Freya stayed behind, somewhat under the impression of what just happened, but each in their own way. Freya was angry because it was The'li who saved Hagen from falling, whereas she should have done so herself, she should have at least attempted to catch him. Hilda was proud this was her cousin, and proud that her family line turned out to be indeed a strong one. Most of the God Warriors were simply in awe, apart from Alberich, who was already calculating how he could use this girl for his own good.  
  
In the meantime, outside, The'li had walked to a bench in the large gardens around the castle and sat down. She stayed there calmly, her hands folded in her lap, patiently waiting for the two brothers to join her. Bud and Syd slowly approached, expecting a whole tirade from this girl, which looked like an angel in the light of the setting sun. There was a red glow around her head, and her hair seemed to be a deep red, with the light of the sun behind her. She gestured the boys to take a seat in front of her, which they quietly did.  
  
"Now tell me, what's wrong?"  
  
They started both yelling at the same time, in such loud noises that The'li could not understand a word. She raised her hand, at which the twins suddenly found themselves without the power of speech. They both looked at her again, quietly of course, and waited until she spoke. She stood up until she faced them, well, more or less, since she was a petite woman, and she had to stretch her neck to be able to look them in the eye. The power that emanated from her though always made people fail to notice she was in fact quite fragile and had the perfect, slender figure.  
  
"Now stop playing your silly games. I know that your whole lives, ever since you knew of the existence of your brother, you have been hating eachother, or have been forced to hide your feelings from your brother. But have you forgotten what happened before you died, have you forgotten about the love you share, about the feelings, the warm feelings you have for eachother. How on earth is it possible for two grown men to have such a hard time to admit this to eachother, even more since you are brothers!!! I can't believe this."  
  
She threw her hands in the air and turned her back to them. She glanced at them, without them seeing, since they were looking at eachother. The'li grinned inwardly, it seemed her speech had had the desired effect. She waited a few minutes but when she turned again, the boys were hugging eachother, which brought a big smile on her beautifully curved pink lips.  
  
"There, that wasn't so difficult now, was it?"  
  
Syd shook his head and Bud pointed at his face. The'li didn't really understand what they meant by their gestures, but kept smiling anyway.  
  
"Ok, now, tell me, do you feel happy about realising what your true feelings are again?"  
  
Syd was now frantically shaking his head and Bud raised his eyes to the sky. He opened his mouth and pointed inside it, and it's only then than The'li realized she had taken away their power to speak.  
  
"Oh dear, I'm soooo sorry, I forgot!!!"  
  
One swift movement from an elegantly manicured hand, and she heard Syd sigh and Bud mumble something inaudibly. She blushed since she had put them in such a precarious situation. But her annoyment disappeared and her eyes filled with tears when Bud and Syd faced eachother again. Bud put a hand on the back of his brother's neck and pulled him close, so their foreheads touched.  
  
"I love you bro, and I'm sorry for all the pain and trouble I caused you. I swear that from now on, I got you backed."  
  
Syd sniffled and whispered  
  
"I love you too, and I got you back!"  
  
They embraced, and all of a sudden noticing The'li softly crying next to them,they pulled her into the embrace. She felt safely safe and warm in their arms and she closely snuggled up to both of them. They stood quietly like this for a while, until Bud broke the silence.  
  
"OK, maybe time to go back in? It's getting a bit cold outside with the blizzard coming up."  
  
Syd nodded and looked at The'li, who was rather lightly dressed.  
  
"You're right, and we wouldn't want our Theli to catch a cold, now would we?"  
  
He smiled at her, his eyes soft and tender.  
  
"Thank you Theli, thank you so much."  
  
She blushed and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. She then smiled and ran inside, leaving Bud and Syd to smile at eachother, putting an arm around eachother's shoulder and slowly following her back in.  
  
Inside there was a horrible noise and chaos, as if The'li's leaving broke the beautiful spell of peace and mutual understanding. The biggest noise was produced by Freya and Hagen, who were quarreling like two pitbulls, and Alberich pranced around them, pulling faces, shouting 'Go go go!!!' and otherwise egging them. The others did not interfere, since they remembered what nearly happened to Hagen for his peacekeeping attempt, so they waited in the hope that The'li would return and settle everything as only she could. When The'li saw the picture, she clasped her hands in front of her bosom and whispered with sadness  
  
"What is going on here?"  
  
Her voice was very soft, velvety and smooth, but everyone in the room heard her and turned to her, feeling very ashamed looking in her beautiful crystal eyes, now filled with sadness and worry. Even Freya felt slightly ashamed, as for Hagen, he instantly flushed, cutely.  
  
"See Theli, Freya accused me of not loving her anymore," he mumbled hotly. "And how can she say that when she betrayed me first?"  
  
"I did not!" Freya sobbed, but The'li smiled angelically at her.  
  
"Why don't we let Hagen finish, dear? I'm sure Hagen still loves you, I can see love burning in his eyes, lets hear his explanation!"  
  
At these words, Hagen flushed even more prettily, and Freya pouted, but unlike Hagen, not prettily at all.  
  
Hagen looked at The'li with adoring gratitude and went on  
  
"So I say, she trampled our love first, running away with that blonde young man! I can understand her though, he looks so cute and all, I would gladly fall in love with him too, errr, if I was a girl of course," he hastily corrected himself after the eyes of the other God Warriors got as big as saucers at his words, "but nevertheless, maybe this Hyoga is better than I am, but she has no right to demand me not to pay attention at someone so pure and perfect like you..."  
  
The Merak warrior flushed so much that there was no difference between his face and his Robe.  
  
But The'li didn't hear his last words. As soon as she heard a certain name said, she gasped, and her eyes were covered by a silvery mist of sweet memories.  
  
'Hyoga.....' her beautiful full lips repeated the sweetest name.  
  
"Hey? Theli? Are you with us?"  
  
Suddenly, she was aware of Hagen, who stood in front of her, very worried, and snapped his fingers in front of her eyes. The'li awarded him with a dazzling ivory-white smile. Her curly hair bobbed up and down when she shook her head.  
  
"I'm so sorry Hagen, I was on memory lane!" she said, looking up at the blonde God Warrior with her eyes, sparkling like two novas in the summer sky.  
  
The blonde warrior, who couldn't blush any further, blubbered quietly  
  
"I am not offended, Theli. Of course you thought about something very important and divine, and I'm sorry to disturb that..."  
  
The'li suddenly laughed, it was like a flock of silver bells chiming.  
  
"Oh but Hagen!! You did not disturb me at all! You are part of my family..."  
  
Hagen timidly interfered.  
  
"Not exactly..."  
  
But The'li waggled her dainty gracious finger in front of his face playfully.  
  
"Almost family, I am sure about that! And anyway, you God Warriors are the true family of mine!!!"  
  
Her big soft eyes glittered with tears at this moment, and she looked so beautifully blue, that the God Warriors, Hilda and Freya felt their own eyes flowing with hot tears. Only Alberich did not cry, because he was very evil, but even he secretly sniffled and blew his nose into Siegfried's sleeve.  
  
When the collective weeping calmed down more or less, The'li emotionally said with an enormous sweet sadness lacing her velvet voice.  
  
"I want you all to know though, that I'm not as perfect as I look..."  
  
"What, you? Impossible!" everyone shouted and shook their heads.  
  
"But it is true, yes..."  
  
The'li nodded, smiling attractively and looking extremely beautiful with that wistful smile and her eyes filled with charming melancholy.  
  
"I am not perfect...my past is shrouded with something so terrible you can't imagine...no, please don't ask me what it is, maybe I will tell you everything one day...but not today, it hurts too much to speak now..."  
  
Tears strangled The'li's throat so she stopped talking and sobbed. Siegfried let go of Hilda's hand and came to embrace The'li, who sobbed against his chest, but Siegfried courageously ignored his shirt getting damp. Hilda sighed but said nothing, she understood that The'li deserved to have her comfort from the bravest and most handsome God Warrior. Finally The'li's sobs turned into a cute panting, she raised her face, beautifully glistening with her pure tears, and looked at Siegfried. She read endless adoration and respect in the blue eyes of the strongest God Warrior and it moved her heart, but filled it with sadness about her beloved cousin. Of course The'li would never think of hurting her! So she pushed Siegfried away and smiled brightly.  
  
"Oh, but why am I pestering you with my problems, when my duty is to make the lovebirds find out they love each other very much and cannot live without each other?"  
  
The'li clasped her hands and turned to Hagen.  
  
"Hagen, I want you to take Freya's hand, look at hear beautiful face, say 'I love you Freya!' and mean it!"  
  
Hagen did as he was told, because it was impossible to resist when The'li was asking.  
  
"I love you Freya and I mean it!"  
  
"Oh, Hagen! I love you too! I always loved you, even when I ran away with Hyoga, I kept loving you a bit, despite that Hyoga was so handsome and manly and everything! But he is not here now, and you are!"  
  
With these words, Freya clinged to Hagen, sobbing with happiness, but almost instantly she freed herself from his manly embrace and rushed to The'li and huggled her lovingly.  
  
"I'm so sorry I did not trust you at first, Theli! Now I see you are an angel sent to Earth! Thank you soooo much for bringing my Hagen back to me!!!"  
  
Everyone was moved by the reunion of the sweet couple! Siegfried hugged Hilda, Syd and Bud hugged each other, Fenrir hugged his wolf, Mime hugged his harp, and Alberich having no better option hugged Thor's legs, because Thor was really tall and Alberich was really short. Hagen felt left out and pouted a bit, only nobody noticed that, and he joined The'li and Freya.  
  
After some time, everything went more or less back to normal, only one person kept wailing -- it was Thor! The'li knews her caring interference was needed again!  
  
"Why are you weeping, Thor?!"  
  
Thor sobbed.  
  
"Oh but I am so jealous of Freya and Hagen! They had problems but they ended them with your generous help, and I do not even have a girlfriend! And I never had! I will never experience anything like making up after fight, boooohoooo!!"  
  
The'li gave a worried yelp.  
  
"Oh Thor, what nonsense are you talking about?! Of course you will find yourself a girl!"  
  
"No I won't, I am big and ugly!"  
  
The'li cutely stomped with her feet.  
  
"Now you stop this right now, my dear! Who told you that you are ugly?! Of course you are not, you are very handsome! Only trim that beard, girls do not like boys with beard, besides it prickles when kissing, and you have to stop going around with those axes everywhere! They are scary!"  
  
Thor huggled his axes defensively.  
  
"But they are my only friends! I cannot let them down!!"  
  
The'li sighed and thought deeply about something until the sunshine bright smile lightened her beautiful face again.  
  
"Hey! I have an idea! Why won't you adorn your axes with something cute and sweet? You can paint the handles with flowers! You can add roses and pink ribbons and other flowers to it!"  
  
Thor grinned widely.  
  
"It's a brilliant idea! Thank you, Theli!"  
  
"Not at all!!!"  
  
The'li coyly winked, and Thor flushed deeply. The'li then turned around, looking at every God Warrior and her cousins, and her look was so warm and lovely that everyone felt like they were under the spring sun. Then The'li briskly exclaimed.  
  
"We must celebrate now! Hagen is with Freya again and Syd and Bud declared their brotherly love to each other! We must go outside and have a party!"  
  
The company nodded their heads happily and everyone rushed out. There was a fierce blizzard outside, but The'li just laughed, extending her hands towards the sky and singing some incredibly beautiful tunes -- and look! The Sun showed up, all the snow disappeared, and there was a big round place of green grass and flowers blooming everywhere!  
  
Thor picked some flowers to attach to his axes, and The'li helped him, and all other God Warriors were rolling in the grass and squealing happily like children. Someone found and carried out the barbecue stove, and the fest began! There was plenty of everything, even the wolves got their share. Mime was asked to play, and The'li to sing, and when she was singing, everyone got quiet, mesmerized by her nightingale voice and the fantastic song she was singing.  
  
Good morning starshine  
  
The earth says hello  
  
You twinkle above us  
  
We twinkle below  
  
Good morning starshine  
  
You lead us along  
  
My love and me as we sing  
  
Our early morning singing song  
  
Gliddy glub gloopy  
  
Nibby nabby noopy  
  
La la la lo lo  
  
Sabba sibby sabba  
  
Nooby abba nabba  
  
Le le lo lo  
  
Tooby ooby walla  
  
Nooby abba naba  
  
Early morning singing song  
  
Good morning starshine  
  
The earth says hello  
  
You twinkle above us  
  
We twinkle below  
  
Good morning starshine  
  
You lead us along  
  
My love and me as we sing  
  
Our early morning singing song  
  
Gliddy glub gloopy  
  
Nibby nabby noopy  
  
La la la lo lo  
  
Sabba sibby sabba  
  
Nooby abba nabba  
  
Le le lo lo  
  
Tooby ooby walla  
  
Nooby abba naba  
  
Early morning singing song  
  
Singing a song  
  
Humming a song  
  
Singing a song  
  
Loving a song  
  
Laughing a song  
  
Singing a song  
  
Sing the song  
  
Song song song  
  
Sing sing sing sing song  
  
After that, the dancing began, and Siegfried invited The'li to dance. The'li of course refused, saying that Siegfried should dance with Hilda, but Hilda shook her head. She loved her cousin too much to be jealous, so Siegfried and The'li twirled in the twirlof dance, as gracious as a pair of swans in the blue sky, smiling joyfully at each other. This was a glorious day in Asgard. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter two  
  
As the sun set in the evening, everyone went back inside, and retired to their rooms. The'li was overly happy with the things that happened today, she had finally met her wonderful cousins, she had reconciled Bud and Syd, Hagen and Freya, and had given Thor back his confidence in himself. She went to bed with a joyful smile on her face, and fell asleep peacefully, contrary at the past nights, in which she had been plagued by horrible nightmares.  
  
The'li was woken up in the middle of the night by a sound in her room. She didn't panick right away, since she felt safe in the castle, but when she noticed a dark shadow and someone put a hand over her mouth, she did panick after all. She tried to scream, but the hand prevented her from it, and then a heavy body came to lay upon her. She struggled to get loose, and when it didn't work right away, she ignited her cosmo and made it flare. The rainbow light filled every dark corner in her room, and made her recognize the figure on top of her as Siegfried. When this happened, she immediately was quiet, and Siegfried opened wide his eyes, and hurried to get off of her.  
  
"Oh my God, Theli!!!! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."  
  
He broke his sentence there, started crying and then ran out of the room. When he opened the door and ran out, at the same time Hilda appeared. She seemed rather shocked to see her beloved come out of the room of her cousin, while this one was only dressed in a very transparant neglige, but she didn't ask, nor make reproaches.  
  
The'li however felt the need to explain the situation to Hilda, but also to try to apologize Siegfried's behaviour.  
  
"Hilda! Siegfried was... Well, he tried... Oh dear!!!"  
  
She slumped on the bed, throwing her long golden curly hair back over her shoulder, where it lay still in a disorderly way, but still shiny as gold. Hilda came to sit next to her, and put an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"It's perfectly natural Theli darling, that Siegfried came to take a liking to you. He was probably just too shy to tell you about it, and wanted to show it in a very clumsy way."  
  
The'li nodded.  
  
"I know, and I don't blame him anything of course. I know he never would have hurt me in the end... Maybe I'd better go and find him and talk to him. Clear things out and explain to him that he loves you. Because that's what this is, a mere infatuation, like with Hagen."  
  
Hilda's look didn't clear up after this statement from The'li. After all, she had known Siegfried her whole life, and even though both Hagen and Freya were subdue to infatuations like The'li called them, nor she, nor Siegfried were. She doubted if this wasn't serious for him. But if anyone could convince him, it was her cousin, so she nodded.  
  
"Maybe you're right. I'll show you where he usually goes when he has problems or something to think about."  
  
The two women walked quietly through the dark castle, to a part where not many people ever came. When they reached the hide-out of Siegfried, they both stopped in their tracks, shocked beyond anything. A single cry filled the castle and Hilda fainted in The'li's arms.  
  
Only moments later all the God Warriors had joined the two women, to discover the reason for Hilda's cry. Siegfried had killed himself. He had not been able to live on with the unanswered love of The'li, and even more, with the fact of almost haven done a terrible thing to her, and he only had seen one way out of the situation. Suicide was actually seen as the honourable thing to do in his part of the country. When everyone heard what happened, they also didn't reproach Siegfried anything, nor did they The'li, and they honoured Siegfried. Nobody noticed the strange light in Mime's eyes when he looked at Siegfried and then watched The'li walk back with Hilda by her side.  
  
Hilda was put back to bed with calming medicins, and Freya stayed by her side. Hagen asked The'li if she needed anyone to watch over her, but she declined. She wanted to be alone. She was really sad at that time, contrary to what she had felt earlier that evening. How things could turn wrong in just a mere few hours, it was simply horrible. If this was a trick fate was playing on her, she could not laugh at it.  
  
The next morning everything seemed to be dark, the sun was hiding behind the clouds and everyone in the Castle was in a silent and sad mood. Bud and Syd stayed close together, as if they were relieved to still have eachother after the terrible loss that happened that night. Hilda did not come out of her room to eat so The'li decided to go see her after lunch. When she was outside of her room, she heard a soft voice singing. She recognized it as her cousin's and she stayed outside to listen.  
  
Knew the signs  
  
Wasn't right  
  
I was stupid for a while  
  
Swept away by you  
  
And now I feel like a fool  
  
So confused, my heart's bruised  
  
Was I ever loved by you  
  
Out of reach, so far  
  
I never had your heart  
  
Out of reach, couldn't see  
  
We were never meant to be  
  
Catch myself from despair  
  
I could drown if I stay here  
  
Keeping busy every day  
  
I know I will be OK  
  
But I was  
  
So confused, my heart's bruised  
  
Was I ever loved by you  
  
Out of reach, so far  
  
I never had your heart  
  
Out of reach, couldn't see  
  
We were never meant to be  
  
So much hurt, so much pain  
  
Takes a while to regain what is lost inside  
  
And I hope that in time, you'll be out of my mind  
  
And I'll be over you  
  
But now I'm  
  
So confused, my heart's bruised  
  
Was I ever loved by you  
  
Out of reach, so far  
  
I never had your heart  
  
Out of reach, couldn't see  
  
We were never meant to be  
  
Out of reach, so far  
  
I never had your heart  
  
In my reach, I can see  
  
There's a life out there for me  
  
The'li was crying silent tears by the time Hilda had finished her song, and when she opened the door and came outside, they silently looked at eachother. Hilda saw the tears in her cousin's eyes, so she smiled and took The'li in her arms. She whispered  
  
"I have to continue with my life, there is still so much to live for. And this night it came to me that Siegfried's love had always been the love of a warrior for his queen, so I decided I won't cry for him anymore. I have to go on, I have to concentrate on my task, and I have to make the life of the other warriors a better one. And of course there's that mention of a new enemy you said yesterday. You need to tell me more, let's go to the throne room. And whipe your tears away my darling, I'll be fine."  
  
The'li and Hilda smiled at eachother and walk arm in arm to the throne room, where they met up with the rest of the God Warriors and Freya, who were in mourning over Siegfried's death. Hilda decided to address them.  
  
"Listen to me everyone, please. What Siegfried has done is just horrible, and it's so sad for us, who had come to depend on him so much. But remember that Theli here" she smiled at her beloved cousin "has told us about a grave danger, so maybe we should let her explain what is about to happen. And in the meantime, I'd like to name a new commander of the God Warriors, please Hagen, accept this honour!"  
  
Hagen confusedly blinked. He wasn't waiting for such an honour to fall upon him.  
  
"Who, me?! Nono, I'm not worthy for this kind of honour, besides, I'm the Beta warrior, and Siegfried's star is Alpha Dubhe, so no, I cannot accept it!"  
  
Freya, who already saw her significant other as the leader of God Warriors, sulkily pouted and whined  
  
"Why are you saying so Hagen, of course you are fit for this, think of the great responsibility..."  
  
"That's exactly what I think," Hagen cut her off, "I won't manage to pull off such a responsibility. Hey, I've got a better idea! Why not appoint Theli as our new Alpha! She has everything for that!"  
  
The other God Warriors eagerly nodded like an exhibition of Chinese statuettes. The'li blushed and looked at Hagen coyly from behind long, black, curled eyelashes. Hagen blushed back.  
  
"Well I must say since I'm attuned to every star and constellation in this, and also some other universes, I can indeed become the Alpha warrior, but you must remember I still have a whole world to save, so I cannot fully devote myself to Asgard, no matter how much I love my motherland and my cousins and all the people in it. Lets do this then, if you don't mind: I will be a temporary Alpha, and when there appears a new one, I will honorably and willingly pass this honorable position to the one who surpasses me!"  
  
Bud fervently denied  
  
"But then it's impossible! Who ever can surpass you?!"  
  
The'li smiled prettily if a tad ominously  
  
"Don't be so sure, my dear Bud. There are forces in this universe that you cannot even imagine their power! And all our destinies are foreordained, not to mention I will not live forever..."  
  
Saying this, a shadow of dark prophecy rippled her astounding facial features, and all the God Warriors plus Hilda and Freya felt themselves deeply affected, like the dark cloud suddenly swallowed sun and mirth. The'li saw the effect her words cast on her beloved friends, and decided it was not fair to plague them with dark thinking before the time for it has come. Then she smiled brightly and exclaimed, twirling a silken curl between her thumb and index finger  
  
"But why think thoughts so morbid!!! Let us better speak about our everybody's new archenemy, the one who's threat to this world surpasses The one inflicted by Hades, Poseidon, Abel, Eris and Ares piled up! And who is determined to destroy our world just because he can't think what else to do with it!"  
  
"Yes yes, we are awfully curious to know about it," the God Warriors chorused.  
  
The'li waved her dainty long-fingered hand in the air and chanted some incantation of divine beauty that was also dark and sinister sounding. Suddenly in the middle of the room there appeared an enormous hologram depicting a creature ugly as Armageddon. The creature twisted its face in a feral grimace, opened his mouth and sounds of sinister cackling filled the room!  
  
"UAAAAAAAA!!!!" screeched Freya and attempted to hide behind Hagen, who tried at the same time to hide behind Thor, who was shivering and trying to hide behind Alberich, but without much success, because Alberich was really short and Thor was really tall. Even Alberich, who in fact was used to the view of suchlike atrocities, having an exhibition of amethyst with corpse fillings, cowered in fear, but bravely tried not to show that.  
  
"Wh..wh...who is...is...that?" Hilda helplessly whispered.  
  
The'li embraced her in a hug that was soft and warm and at the same time strong enough to indicate that she is able to protect her beloved cousin from anything and everything, and courageously said  
  
"Please don't be afraid, my noble friends, it's just an image who cannot escape the walls of my powerful spell and cannot do any harm to you, unless I wish so. But this is the image of exactly that demon fiend, our enemy that I was referring to. His name is Borkrkash the Slobberer, and he is an extremely powerful wizzard!!! More than that, he is an orc, please note his green skin, rotten teeth and pointy ears, and even more than that - he is a vampire!!!"  
  
Alberich felt relaxed when he was said the image was entrapped between The'li's spell's unbreakable magic. He even stepped closer and remarked  
  
"Why, but he looks exactly like my cousin Butch Miller, soon before he passed away from syphilis."  
  
"But it may be that he IS partially your cousin, Alberich!" The'li exlaimed, because this evil vampire sucks out not only human blood, but soul too! It is very probably he sucked out your cousin!!!"  
  
"But as I said, he died from this disease...." Alberich meekly protested, giving in to The'li's words after all, so convincing she sounded.  
  
"He can bring diseases upon people too!" The'li cried "He is so powerful that no sinister force in the Universe can outcome him! A long time ago he dispossessed the Goddess Kali from her magickal necklase and from there his power started to grow with horrible speed! Further better, when other gods lost to Athena, he consumed their powers too! He's got Eri's apple, Abel's lyre and Hades's sword!!!"  
  
Everybody awfully awed at The'li's words, and she heatedly continued  
  
"More than that, he is connected to Asgard now too! The Ring was not destroyed!!!"  
  
"What?!!!" Hilda weakly gasped.  
  
The'li gloomily nodded  
  
"Yes, that's right! Athena's saints thought they destroyed the Ring, but really it was transferred to another dimension where Borkrkash the Slobberer reigns with an iron fist of terror and disease! And now he has a nearly full set of magickal items, so all he needs to become into ultimate Power is Athena's Nike!"  
  
Bud clapped his eyelids as he repeated dumbly  
  
"Athena's what?"  
  
"Nike!!! It's that statue she holds in her hand, her symbol of victory! It makes her ever-victorious! Now think what will happen if Borkrkash the Slobberer will attain it!"  
  
The'li said and extended her hands, closing her eyes, frowning her arrow straight eyebrows. Golden shimmering flickered on her palm, and suddenly there was a winged figurine on it.  
  
"That's what Athena's Nike looks. Or," The'li faltered, her moist eyes bearing into infinite distance that only she could see through, and a curtain of secrets closed her pure eyes from the God Warriors "Or...almost like that...you see, I..."  
  
But she never finished to explain, because suddenly the horrible figure in the center of the room turned and stabbed his penetrating gaze into The'li.  
  
And there was a voice!! A dark and gloomy voice like booming steps of doom echoing through gravestones of a midnight abandoned cemetery!  
  
"MUHAHAHAHAHAAAA, I finally found you The'li!!! Now you will not escape my power over you!!! Come to me, we are meant for each other and will rule this world together!!!"  
  
The voice was so horrible and evil that the ceiling shook over their heads and lumps of plaster fell down, one knocking Syd unconscious, but nobody noticed that, so terrified they were, except The'li who bravely stepped forward and outstretched her arms like protecting all those people she cared of!  
  
She cried passionately  
  
"Never, Borkrkash the Slobberer! I will NEVER be yours, hear that?! Don't even dream about that, we have nothing to share! I will not join your reign of death, why should I want to rule over the debris and waste you are going to inflict upon Earth anyway?!!"  
  
The evil hologram sneered widely and evilly  
  
"But you are so wrong my dear destined beloved! Come to me and I shall show you how powerful you can become at my side!"  
  
He waved the black staff he held in his wart-covered hand, and in front of the awestruck God Warriors The'li suddenly changed! She grew taller and darker, wings as dark as the darkest night sprouted from her slender shoulders, her eyes were two wells of unfathomable darkness, and her hair...it turned into snakes, that hissed and slithered around! But despite of the creepy transformation, even now The'li looked strikingly beautiful, if a bit unusual.  
  
The apparition laughed even louder and more evilly, then he too outstretched his hands, and his slimy cape billowed behind him like the ragged wings of a bat out of Hell. He gritted his teeth and started to sing a horrible incantation, poison and saliva dripping from his yellow decay- touched fangs. His song was so ominous and chaotic that Marilyn Manson himself would have hung himself from jealousy  
  
Ludul bel nimeqi ea Naramtu dianau Apsu  
  
La tapallah puluthu Utukke lemnuti Apkallu Subigo inimicus  
  
Daurh-eke, Nelogo-cya, Naathogot!  
  
Everyone but The'li covered their ears in disgust.  
  
But of course The'li was not scared! She determinantly approached the evil image and started to sing her own angelical song  
  
Cursum perficio.  
  
Verbum sapienti:  
  
quo plus habent,  
  
eo plus cupiunt.  
  
Post nubila, Phoebus  
  
Iternum!  
  
The evil wizzard twitched, choked on his evil song and covered in torture that the purity of The'li's voice and the power of her spell cast on him. The battle stretched for long, but The'li did not surrender even a small bit, and finally Borkrkash the Slobberer cringed and flinched back, admitting his defeat. He vanished away, croaking the final words  
  
"We will meet again The'li! Now that I know you are here! WAAAARGH!!!!"  
  
As soon as it was over, The'li swayed, regained her usual looks back, sobbed and if not Bud's tender supporting hands, she would certainly have fallen to the ground.  
  
"Oh woe is me!!!" she sobbed, as Bud gently carressed her glossy golden mane, slightly cautious in case there was a remained snake lurking within, and wished this moment would last forever, "It's all my fault!!! He saw us, and now he will be after us! What have I done!!!"  
  
Hilda tenderly said  
  
"Nono, my dear Theli, of course it's not your fault! You only wanted to warn us against this awesome plague, and you did a great job, now we are warned and will be prepared!"  
  
The'li, at these soothing words, sadly smiled and wiped away her crystal clear tears, leaning in Bud's arms langurously  
  
"Don't be nice to me, my dearest cousin, I'm not worthy of your kindness. I know what I have done, and now my task is to remedy that! I must warn Athena that Borkrkash the Slobberer soon will be after her!"  
  
She drew herself straight, to much of Bud's disappoinment, and bravely announced  
  
"I will set myself to Athena's Sanctuary! Who volunteers to come with me?"  
  
There was a great noise when everybody started to shout simultaneously in desire to come with her, even Syd who was still a bit dizzy.  
  
The'li gratefully smiled,  
  
"Oh I am so touched, my friends!!! But you must think about your duty to protect Asgard. I will choose my volunteers myself then. And I choose Mime, because his harp music is a good weapon against Borkrkash's evil scheming, and Alberich!"  
  
Dark desire glinted in Mime's glazing orange orbs, but nobody noticed it, being so very disappointed. Except Alberich of course, who felt himself on cloud nine of pride.  
  
Hilda said  
  
"Okay then, I suppose you'll be needing a ship to sail to Sanctuary..."  
  
The'li shook her head, smiling, from what her hair wavered like a shower of golden fire  
  
"Nono, please do not worry. I have my own means of travel!"  
  
She snapped her fingers and there materialized a soft pink roll in the middle of the room. She then whistled a cheerful tune, and it enrolled, revealing a carpet. Theli laughed and clapped her hands,  
  
"This is my flying carpet, a gift from my daddy Kanon! Hop on it boys and lets depart!"  
  
Alberich stared at the thing with unquestionable horror  
  
"No freaking way I am taking a ride on this atrocity! My family may notice, and I'm as good as a permanent laughing stock then!" 


	3. Chapter Three

Voyager in a Storm - Chapter 3  
  
The'li was sitting on her flying carpet, her beautiful long golden hair, that shone like gold in the sunshine, flowing behind her like a golden waterfall. Mime, who was sitting half beside her, was watching her admiringly while playing his harp softly and trying to refrain from giggling out loud. The reason for his amusement was sitting next to him, right after The'li. He was looking quite sulkingly, since he had to actually mount on the carpet, but now he was also trying to keep his dignity. The'li's hair kept on blowing in his face, and tickling his nose, which made him constantly feel the urge to sneeze. He didn't want to though, because it would give The'li another reason to talk to him, and he didn't want that.  
  
Yes, Alberich did after all mount the carpet, even if it took The'li a huge amount of her power of persuasion to make him do so. During their trip however he had kept on sulking, and refused to say a word to The'li, even if she tried to start the conversation. She had given up on trying to talk to him for the time being, and had concentrated on the feeling of flying through the blue skies again. Alberich still didn't understand "why" on earth he had agreed to come along on this monstrosity. The carpet was a fluffy pink one, with a pattern of forget-me-nots bordured on them, and with a light blue edge on it. He shuddered at the thought of Syd and Bud starting to giggle over the fact that his hair matched the carpet so well, and that he ended up being just the perfect choice to accompany The'li. The'li, who had seen that Alberich couldn't laugh, had defended him by saying that his hair was nothing like the fluffiness of the carpet, it was indeed a much manlier pink. She had thought it would make him feel better, but he had just puffed, and had walked away.  
  
"Atchou!!!!!!"  
  
The'li hurriedly turned and watched Alberich brush another strand of hair out of his face. She took her hair in her arms and apologetically said  
  
"Oh!!!! Alberich!!!! I am soooo sorry, I had no idea you had troubles with my hair, you should have told me !!!!!! Oh, and God bless!!!!!!"  
  
Alberich snored  
  
"Hm, what God, that's what I wonder."  
  
The'li tilted her beautiful head to the side and gave him a questioning look  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I was just wondering which God you served. Us God Warriors have Odin, the Saints have their Athena, but who do you serve?"  
  
The'li chuckled, her laugh was pure as silver bells. Then she winked at him and mysteriously said  
  
"You'll see, Alberich, you'll see. And maybe you will turn out to serve a different God as well."  
  
Alberich wanted to object, but before he could say another word, Mime interrupted their conversation by shouting and pointing in the distance.  
  
"I think we're almost there, doesn't that look like Sanctuary?"  
  
The'li turned around, excitement showing on her beautiful ivory face. She clasped her hands together and sighed  
  
"Yes!!! we're finally there!!!"  
  
"STOP!!!!!!"  
  
When this was shouted out, The'li gave a mental order to the carpet, which was actually like a living being, and which stopped. She again turned to Alberich, surprise on her face and in her shiny sea-blue eyes.  
  
"What's wrong Alberich? Why do you want us to stop? We're almost there!"  
  
"I'm sorry Theli, but I refuse to arrive at Sanctuary, who are our former enemies, on this pink . monstrosity."  
  
The'li gasped unbelievingly. He had called her baby a monstrosity. And for the first time since they had met her, she looked reprimandingly at Alberich and Mime and shook her finger in front of their noses.  
  
"Now let me tell you something, this carpet has brought me a wonderful childhood, and I will not, do you hear me, NOT allow you to make fun of it!!!!"  
  
She looked at them, waiting for any objection, but they were so under the impression by the shock that was clearly to be seen on her face, and the fact that she seemed genuinely hurt, that they just shook their heads, thinking of something they could say to make her feel better. But she already smiled again  
  
"Come to think of it, I think I do understand that for you men it might be a bit . awkward to arrive in pink, so let's go down, and walk the last bit. It's not far anymore anyway."  
  
She let the carpet descend and they dismounted. She gave her pink horror a little pat and sent it off back in the sky, where it was to wait for any further orders. She watched it fly away, and suddenly she was overcome by old memories. Memories of flights on that same carpet, with her beloved one, where they shared their forget-me-nots, which afterwards were broidered on her carpet by her daddy, who was the only one who could approach the carpet without it trying to throw him off, like a wild stallion tries with anyone he doesn't know. She sighed at those memories, oh, those happy days of her childhood, when all was peaceful and where she didn't have a worry in the world. She was loved by everyone, and she had the boy which was the cutest and best one around, and all the other girls envied her for this. She shook her head to chase away the memories, then turned to her two companions, and smiled a bright smile.  
  
"Let's go!!!"  
  
"Euh, Theli, wait, please."  
  
That was Alberich, in a shy voice. He hesitated, after which Mime gave him a nudge, and he looked back angrily at Mime.  
  
"Well, I want to apologize for saying that about your carpet. I didn't really mean it, you see, I thought it was a great means of transportation, the only thing, well, the colour. I have this thing with pink, and the fact that it's my hair colour, doesn't improve things. I didn't mean to upset you! You have to believe me!!!"  
  
Alberich hated sounding this pathetic, but even though he did, he simply couldn't help himself. She had this special power over him, which he didn't understand. It was just there. And Mime realized it too, and clearly took advantage of it. Alberich made a mental note of it and would make sure that he would pay for it.  
  
In the meantime The'li gave them both a dashing smile, her white teeth flickering between her beautifully curved lips. She caressed Alberich's cheek and softly said  
  
"No need to apologize, I'm not offended. And come to think of it, it perhaps wasn't very thoughtful of me to force you both on my baby."  
  
She looked at them with soft shining eyes, almost black with golden dots in them. It made Mime think of a starlit sky, such beauty and such purity in them. He shook his head to break the spell she kept on putting him under.  
  
"Maybe we'd better get going, it seems to me you still have quite some work ahead with all them dead Saints and stuff, no?"  
  
It was as if The'li was ripped out of a spell, and she nodded to Mime.  
  
"You're absolutely right Mime, let's go."  
  
The'li started walking, and Mime and Alberich both followed her, watching the movement of her beautiful hips. She was dressed in long silk blue trousers, and a short white top, which made the curves of her beautiful body come out nicely. The white top also contrasted nicely with the golden teint of her skin, and made it look as if she was actually glowing in the sun.  
  
She crossed the barrier that surrounded Sanctuary, but then stopped in her tracks when she heard two thumps behind her, some cries of anger and hurt, and further inaudible mumbling. She turned to see Alberich and Mime both rubbing their noses and some other bodyparts and suddenly realized what must have happened.  
  
"Oh, I hadn't thought of that, the barrier around Sanctuary is keeping the both of you from entering. I don't have that problems since I'm universal and Sanctuary doesn't treat me as an enemy, but I never pondered on the fact that it might try to keep you out. Wait, give me both your hand."  
  
She stretched her hands through the barrier and Mime and Alberich both took one, after which she pulled them both through, in a swift movement. It made them feel slightly nauseous, but they tried not to let it show to her. They wouldn't be true men if they couldn't overcome a little sickness. And moreover, she didn't seem to have those troubles, or else she didn't let it show, so neither would they.  
  
When they arrived at the first Temple, Aries, Mime and Alberich looked so amazed that The'li started to giggle. Even though the Temple was smashed and torn to pieces, as if a giant had walked through it, it still was some sight to see for the God Warriors, who were used to the cold Asgardian buildings, not this warm architecture.  
  
"Wonderful, isn't it?"  
  
Both men just nodded, still unable to speak due to their amazement. The'li giggled again.  
  
"But let's see what you think once it's restored in its original splendor."  
  
She raised her beautifully manicured hands, and her voice pronounced angelical sounds, which sounded as if it were the songs that were sung in heaven. Slowly, her aura filled the whole of Sanctuary, and Mime and Alberich smelled the roses that were so typical of her when she used her powers to a maximum. Smoke filled the air around her, and she closed her eyes. The smoke became thicker until it was almost black and the two men could hardly distinguish her in it.  
  
Slowly, the Temple started rebuilding itself, which caused Mime to be lifted in the air by a piece of rock he was standing on, and when he fell off, it gave a little thump, but luckily The'li was still concentrated enough so all of Sanctuary was completely regenerated after a matter of minutes.  
  
When The'li lowered her arms, the smoke slowly dissolved itself, although the smell of roses lingered. The'li fell on her knees, apparently exhausted from the miracle she just performed. She looked tired but satisfied, and when a soft chanting started, she raised her head, her eyes glimmering from unshed tears, and she whispered  
  
"Listen!!!"  
  
Alberich and Mime tilted their heads in order to listen more carefully, and they also heard the sounds. It was as if a choir of angels was singing, and a golden cosmo enveloped the whole of Sanctuary. It wasn't The'li's cosmo this time, but that of all the golden cloths, who were happy to be back on earth, and have their respectful owners alive with them. And as if to thank The'li, they came to welcome her by enveloping her too, especially her, in a warm golden cocoon, which made her recover all of her powers and made the exhaustion go away.  
  
After a moment she got up and smiled and whispered into thin air  
  
"Thank you my friends."  
  
She turned to Alberich and Mime.  
  
"I don't think the Gold Saints will do you any harm, since you never confronted any of them directly, a good thing I didn't ask Bud and Syd to come along. But of course when you will meet up with the Bronze Saints, they all have their reasons to be against either of you, so just keep quietly behind me and I'll do the talking, ok? We are here to get along, to fight the common enemy together, not to start quarreling amongst us."  
  
Alberich and Mime shook their heads all the more fervently in order to assure her that was not their intention either. She nodded, satisfied, and then started walking in the direction of the first Temple. At the entrance, they were greeted by Mu and Kiki, who couldn't seem to get over the fact of having his master back again, alive and well, and by his side. He kept on looking him up and down, as if he was a ghost. When The'li slowly walked closer, Kiki pointed at her and shouted  
  
"It was her, Master, it was her who made you come back, I felt the cosmo!!!"  
  
Mu watched her quietly for a moment, then opened his arms in a big embrace.  
  
"My child. Thank you for bringing us back. You have no idea how happy I am to finally get out of Hades, such an unholy dark place, with no sun to shine on my magnificent hair, that was getting all dry and ..."  
  
Holding her tight, Mu sobbed for a moment, then got a grip on himself and held her at arm's length. He seemed to realize all of a sudden that he didn't really know this girl, so let go of her, blushing. She was absolutely gorgeous, and Mu had never been much in contact with girls, apart from Athena, who was a goddess so deserved all his platonic respect, but this girl... Well, all he could think was something in the lines of "Wow, droooooooool."  
  
But his thoughts didn't show in his face, if it wasn't for a tiny drop of saliva hanging in the corner of his mouth. He licked it away in a suggestive manner, and addressed her with a voice that was heavy from hidden emotions.  
  
"So, tell me dear, who are you and what are you doing here?" His eyes were finally wandering in the direction of the two God Warriors who were staying humbly behind her, as they had promised. "And who are these two ... God Warriors?"  
  
His attitude became a bit less friendly, and he took a defensive position. The'li softly chuckled and bowed before him.  
  
"I am The'li C'liffo'th Vril-Ya, and I have a very important message to deliver to Athena. And the reviving of her warriors had to do with that as well."  
  
Mu rubbed his chin pensively for a while, then seemed to reach a decision. He turned around and walked back to his temple, gesturing them to follow him.  
  
"I believe that even though you revived us, your path towards Athena won't be of the easiest ones. So I suggest you put on your cloth, and since I'm afraid you'll have to fight your way through, Kiki will inspect it and I'll repair it. The same goes for ... your God Warriors." He seemed to reach another decision. "What's up with them following you anyway, I believed they were at Hilda's service."  
  
Mime and Alberich, for once agreeing on something, gave eachother a meaningful glance, but still didn't say anything, since they had promised The'li, and one doesn't break a promise to The'li just like that.  
  
The'li chuckled again, and Mu closed his eyes in delight, thinking he heard the sound of heavenly bells tingling. He shook his head, he really had to get a grip on himself, if he wanted to go through with his work, and if he wanted to repair The'li's and the God Warriors' cloths.  
  
The'li spread her hands, posing and softly said "This is my cloth. It has been fabricated by the finest craftsmen of my homeland, as to make it look like normal clothes, but it's in fact of the strongest fabric you can imagine. They had to look all over the world to find the substances that created this cloth. The breath of a unicorn baby was retrieved from the lands to the Far East of the Forgotten Continent, tears of the Phoenix have been found in the Volcano that rests at the Top of Mystery Island, and Elven Wisdom has been provided by the Elves of the Undersea lands of Quintopia. Then was added a touch of motherly love and a few petals of the same Forget-me-not flowers I have on my flying carpet. It is as strong as any metal!!!!" She made a pirouette, which made her long curly hair flow around her like a waterfall and joyfully laughed "Doesn't it look absolutely marvelous!!!"  
  
The three men and Kiki were staring at her with open mouths. Like this, laughing and joyful, she made an incredible impression on the men. She was definitely the most beautiful woman they had ever seen! They just stood there for a while, staring, until she got a bit embarrassed by that fact and blushed cutely. She put her hands on her cheeks.  
  
"See what you're doing, now you're making me blush!!!"  
  
Mu was shook out of his lethargy, and hurriedly said "Oh, I'm sorry, but it's true as you said, you look marvelous!" He smiled as reassuringly as he could, and signaled Kiki to proceed with the inspecting of the God Warriors cloths, and The'li's ... clothes. He simply couldn't consider her clothes as anything else than ... sparse clothes...  
  
Kiki nodded and went on to inspect the God Warriors' cloths, after which he sadly shook his head to his master. Mu then pointed at The'li, but Kiki hesitated. The bloody Saint Seiya series had been stopped for years and years, which made him stuck in the body of a kid, but that didn't mean he didn't have desires like anyone. But he still approached her, blushed cutely and smiled, while inspecting her cloth, clothes, whatever. But he indeed discovered a material, that was so perfect, and in such good state, that it almost blinded his eyes.  
  
"No need to repair it Master, it's in perfect state."  
  
He couldn't help but wonder what The'li was wearing underneath, and what she would have done if she had to take off her cloth...  
  
"Very well, then I will only darn the God Warriors cloths. In the meantime, you can wait nearby, and I'll call you when I'm ready."  
  
Mime and Alberich were somewhat reluctant to take off their cloths, but as The'li nodded, they did so anyway. They left both in the care of Mu and Kiki and went for a walk.  
  
Mu was admiring the beautiful craftswork of the people who had made the God Warriors Cloths, or had it been Dwarves... In the meantime, his thoughts wandered and suddenly arrived at The'li. He softly hummed, and without even realizing, started singing, without seeing the surprise on Kiki's face.  
  
"Erotic fantasies: Aphrodite of cnide and Aries  
  
As mystic as a glimmer at the bottom of a lake  
  
Sensuality of your figure, of your white body  
  
White dove or dark crow?  
  
The temptations of these acts change the being, from the beast to...  
  
To the lamb  
  
But if you touch her, she will cut your veins and dive her hand  
  
Deep down in your soul to spread it over your face  
  
Sweet Venus, in power of an immense veil beyond the borders of  
  
Death, seduces men with her charm and elegance  
  
Pleasure of lust, she is also the sweetness of the flower blinding the  
  
Insect that comes to take her nectar  
  
O the pleasure is so sweet in Aphrodite's thorns, but if you touch  
  
Her... she will cut your veins"  
  
Once finished, Mu looked up, realizing four people were looking at him in awe, and all of a sudden it dawned on him that he had been singing out loud, and he went all red in the face. He covered his red cheeks with his hands, and ran inside the Temple, where they heard a door being slammed shut. For a moment the silence was awkward, but then Kiki took advantage of the opportunity of being able to explain about the Seventh Sense, but before he could properly grasp it, the God Warriors had adorned their cloths and after a quick "Thank you!", all three visitors ran through the temple, leaving Kiki alone.  
  
They ran up the stairs that led to the second Temple, The'li first, while Alberich and Mime were running behind her, admiring the fluent movements of her agile body as she was running. She was truly a fine specimen of womankind. Her long hair was waving in the wind behind her, like a golden waterfall, almost blinding both men as it shone in the sun.  
  
When arrived at Taurus, the stopped in front of the Temple and scanned it with their Cosmos. Alberich and Mime didn't notice anything at first scan, so they went right ahead, and ran in, not noticing The'li had stayed behind. She thought "such a soft and gentle cosmo!" before realizing that her companions had gone ahead. Before she could shout them a warning, she heard two cries of anger, as they bumped into the huge figure of Aldebaran. They both looked up at him, surprised to see Thor wasn't the only giant around.  
  
Albebaran made a step forward, still a bit disoriented from being ressuscitated, but he still boomed "State your business here?". When The'li stepped into the Temple, the darkness retreated, to leave a Temple full of light and sun! Aldebaran looked at her, mouth open, and couldn't say another word for a while. At that moment he received a mental message from Mu, who was addressing all Saints that had been revived, in order to explain the situation to them. When the message was over, Aldebaran smiled at her.  
  
"I will let you pass like that, but the other two will have to earn their passage through."  
  
Alberich and Mime felt really offended by this, both shouting in unison "WHAT?!?!?!" They were ready to attack, but The'li extended her hand towards them, making them freeze in their tracks. She could clearly feel their anger, some of which now was directed to herself, but she did not show any sign of knowing. She addressed Aldebaran in a sweet but determined voice.  
  
"We all go through, or none of us go, it's up to you Taurus Aldebaran."  
  
She knew him, she knew his heart, she had met him when she was a child, and she had loved him so much, she still did. But she didn't want to tell him who she really was, she needed this to happen fairly, and as much as she figured, Mu didn't reveal her name either.  
  
"OK, then, give it your best shot girl."  
  
Aldebaran folded his arms in front of his chest, and stood there, waiting for them. The'li gestured her warriors to stand back, and took position facing him. She smiled amiably, which disturbed him a bit, and made him lower his guard. So when she ran towards him, he reacted in a fraction of a second slower than he was used to and The'li jumped in the air, avoiding his counterattack, and with a swift movement of the hand cutting off the other horn from his helmet.  
  
Aldebaran stayed silent for a moment, still a bit baffled by what happened, but the next moment he burst out in joyful laughter.  
  
"Good one girl!!!!"  
  
The'li smiled at him, then couldn't stop herself and went to hug the man, who just stood there, embarrassed and not knowing what to do. He held out his hands, not daring to touch her. She whispered  
  
"It's great to see you uncle Aldy."  
  
She stepped back, gave him a huge smile, gestured her warriors and ran outside with them. Aldebaran was staring into thin air.  
  
"Uncle Aldy??"  
  
Only one person in the world had ever called him like that, and slowly realization dawned on him. He turned and called after her.  
  
"It's great to see you too my little Theli!!!!!"  
  
His first impulse was to shout the news to everyone who knew her, but then, she didn't say anything to him either right away, and he knew her well enough to know that if she acted like this, she had a reason for it. She didn't want anyone to know, to treat her differently. As if anyone could treat the wonderful girl she had become normally, he thought with a mischievous smile on his face.  
  
He touched his head, hornless now, and chuckled. She definitely hadn't changed much, and someone would get a surprise when seeing here! Yes, the spectacle promised to be promising! 


	4. Chapter Four

The'li stormed towards the Gemini temple, her silky hair billowing behind her like the flag of victory announcing that the victor had come, and her companions Mime and Alberich so-so managed to keep up with her, so light and steady her steps were! After the so warm welcome The'li got from Mu and Aldebaran, The'li's heart sang with joy and she sang along with it, divine notes escaping her soft pouty lips, and those sounds were so enchanting that Mime wanted to accompany with his harp, despite of the fact that it was difficult to play on the run, and anyway his melody couldn't in any way match The'li's fantastic singing. He sighed and packed his harp back, and so they arrived to the entrance to the Gemini temple.  
  
The'li of course didn't linger in front of the two entrances, steadily and determined she headed towards the right one, turning back to her companions at the entrance and flashing her brilliant smile urging them to follow her. So bold and beautiful she was in the face of unknown danger that the God Warriors involuntarily stopped to admire the setting sun reflecting in her warm eyes and on her ivory smile.  
  
"Come on, boys!!! What are you waiting for! Lets go inside!!!" The'li happily laughed. Then she disappeared in the dark menacing mouth of the Temple.  
  
"Lets follow her, she knows all the better," Mime sighed with delight.  
  
Alberich wanted to go through another entrance in fact, just to demonstrate how independent and vicious he was, but as he timidly approached that other entrance, the ominous gloom that reeked from it made him change his mind and follow Mime into the entrance, where the shining bright outline of The'li was still visible.  
  
The inside of the temple was very spooky -- all black with green grid, like a screensaver on a really old computer. Mime and Alberich felt they did not like the place at all! They cowered and tried to keep closer to The'li who of course was not afraid of anything. But even her cheerful whistling came jammed in this weird place. Suddenly the black corridor was over, and our little company found themselves in the dark airy hall and in the middle of it...  
  
"Halt there! Who dares to wander into the Gemini Temple so insolently like it was your own closet?!"  
  
This was said by the gruesome figure in gold that stood in the middle of the hall and waited for them with his hands extended forward as if it was to grab them any minute!  
  
"My name is The'li, oh valiant Gemini Saint!" The'li shouted and there was no faze no fear in her crystal voice. "Let us pass, I bring extremely important news to Athena!!"  
  
The figure did not move! But it started to look thoughtful.  
  
"The'li, The'li..." it murmured "what a sweetly sounding name and it sounds familiar too... I am sure I knew someone with this name... now let me just remember it... my memory still does not work at full after Hades..."  
  
"But of course you know me, uncle Saga!!!" The'li giggled joyfully, her voice like the jingling of Christmas bells "I am sure you remember me, after you held me in your hands dearly so many times!!! I remember you too!!! You didn't change at all!!!"  
  
"Really?" the golden armor cocked its head coquettishly and its booming voice warmed very apparently.  
  
"Really really!" The'li happily nodded her head several times.  
  
"Is that you really, my dearest niece? Sorry if I sound doubtful, but it would be too much joy if the first person to meet after my return from horrible Hades would be you!" tears were strangling the armor's voice!  
  
"Yes uncle it is me and I am soooo happy to see you too!!!!!" The'li chirped.  
  
But then Alberich who got some courage perhaps radiated onto him from The'li and who was intensely looking at the armor all that time cautiously sneaked to the armor and peered into the darkness between the helmet and the collar.  
  
"Hey Theli but this set of armor is empty like eaten off tin can!" he announced and to prove that he banged his knuckles at the helmet.  
  
"BOIIIING!!!!" the sound echoed and immediately there was a wrathful voice.  
  
"How dare you, humble person!!!"  
  
and the armor's hands shot forward, grabbed Alberich on his hair, then tumbled him into the air!  
  
"Another dimension!!!"  
  
There was a raging yell, and squealing Alberich disappeared in a whirlpool of furious colors!  
  
"Hey, what are you doing..." Mime started but immediately regretting attracting the armor's attention, because it boomed "Another dimension!" at Mime and Mime disappeared too.  
  
"Ahhhh, uncle Saga, there was no need to do so, they're my friends, they mean no harm to you!!!" The'li sobbed, wringing her hands.  
  
"That will teach them puppies a lesson of respect towards their elders," said a voice from behind the column nearest to the armor and Saga stepped out.  
  
"Theli my dear, now come and hug your uncle!!!"  
  
When The'li saw her uncle who looked so much like her beloved daddy, she forgot everything and rushed, sobbing, into the stretched hands of the Gemini Saint and enveloped him in a tight hug.  
  
"Oh Theli my girl, you are so big now! And so beautiful too!" Saga said, tears running down his elegant face "I missed you so much! To think I haven't seen you for all those years, and all those years I so wanted to see and hug my baby girl again!"  
  
"Me too missed you so much, uncle!" The'li happily wailed into Saga's chest.  
  
Even the spooky temple got suddenly lighter and warmer affected by the emotions of a family reunion like it suddenly got its own sun -- but in fact it was so. What can be warmer and nicer than the feelings of a family reunion?!  
  
Even the face on the Gemini helmet wept on the floor, where Saga accidentally knocked it down.  
  
But The'li was not someone who leaves their friends in deadly perils just because she is enormously happy!  
  
"Please, uncle Saga, bring my friends back from another dimension, for they are dear to me!" she pleaded, her unbelievably pure eyes boring into Saga's face.  
  
"Er sorry, my dear Theli, family is family and duty is duty," Saga guiltily shrugged "I cannot let them pass just like that, they must undergo the Gemini test and come back by themselves, see."  
  
"So I will help them!" The'li exclaimed, beaming.  
  
"If you want to, it's not forbidden," Saga smiled.  
  
The'li courtly nodded, then cleared her throat, whistled a few tunes to decide which place of the Temple was acoustically the best, marched to that spot. She stood there for some minutes with her head lowered, obviously in deep concentration so that Saga did not dare to disturb her (despite of the fact it was his own temple after all).  
  
Then The'li raised her head, her upturned to the ceiling face shining readiness and miracle and started to sing  
  
...picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly a girl with kaleidoscope eyes!  
  
and there miraculously appeared a dark hole straight in thin air, and the strings of Mime's harp coiled out of it, wrapping The'li's hand in shimmering silver! The'li gripped tightly on them but never stopped singing  
  
cellophane flowers of yellow and green towering over your head look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she's gone -- The'li in the sky with diamonds!  
  
on her last verse Mime himself popped out and plopped on the ground, dazedly looking around and clutching his harp tightly, and The'li kept singing  
  
...follow her down to a bridge by a fountain where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers that grow so incredibly high...  
  
Bam! Another hole appeared, and there fell Alberich out of it with some crooked old hat on his head, which he hurriedly snatched away and threw into the shrinking hole, and The'li finished in a tired but happy voice  
  
The'li in the sky with diamonds...  
  
"Congratulations, Theli! You succeeded, I am so proud of you!!" Saga clapped his hands excitedly. The'li smiled modestly,  
  
"Oh, but that's nothing, a true friend will always come to the rescue, you would do just the same for me, wouldn't you boys?" she winked at Mime and Alberich who nodded.  
  
"Don't be mad at me, it's my job," Saga apologized helping Alberich to stand up, "I must try even those who are friends of the girl I love so dear..."  
  
"That's alright," Alberich said sulkily, because he hated to be defeated and never forgot such things, but he was smart enough not to show it openly, "but it was one hell of a dimension you threw me into."  
  
"Oh, tell us Alberich, I so looove to hear tales about dimensions!!!" The'li bounced and Alberich of course could not refuse her.  
  
"Well I materialized into some big hall, full of kids and everything, noisy and lots of dishes on tables, and I fell down straight on some chair, and there was an old hag holding this hat, and suddenly the hat screeched 'He's in Slytherin, no doubt about that, no need to put me on his head!' but the hag said 'Rules must be kept!' so she then put that hat on me, and then I heard your beautiful singing and whoosh I got back. What's Slytherin anyway?"  
  
But nobody knew, and then Mime said,  
  
"I also finished in some interesting place. I found myself in a bed, and there was a skinny guy with pointy ears looking at me, he said "Welcome to Rivendale, Mr. Baggins," and then he said "Wait, you aren't Frodo!" and I said "I think not," then he said "Who are you?" and then your beautiful music carried me back. I wonder what's Rivendale?"  
  
But nobody knew either and did not really care.  
  
"Boys!" The'li happily announced, taking the boys by their hands and turning their faces to Saga, "I want you to meet my uncle, the twin brother of my daddy, the one he loves the most after me, my mummy his wife, his other kids, his labrador Bonzo and his goldfish Moochie! This is my uncle Saga!!!"  
  
"Nice to meet you," said Mime and bowed respectfully.  
  
"Whatever," mumbled Alberich silently and loudly he cooed "My greatest pleasure!"  
  
"Your friends are so well-behaved, Theli," Saga admired "it is no doubt your influence?"  
  
The'li blushed and denied, because she was modest  
  
"Nono, uncle!!! They always are so nice people!"  
  
"If you say so," Saga said sweetly "but no matter how I love to see you here and how I wish to kiss every patch of your silky milk and honey skin and the ground you walk on, I would not ever dare to keep you from delivering that message to Athena. I'm sure it is the most important news! How can it be otherwise if you are delivering it?"  
  
"Yes indeed," The'li nodded darkening as she remembered the foul Borkrkash the Slobberer, "but I promise to get back to you uncle a.s.a.p. and then we will have sooooooooo much fun together!!!"  
  
"So run, my child, run!" Saga passionately cried, secretly wiping his tears away.  
  
"See you soon, uncle!" The'li gave him a last tight hug and swiftly ran towards the exit, followed by Mime and Alberich. At the exit she stopped and blew a kiss at Saga.  
  
Saga waved till there was no sight of The'li anymore, and then bent down to pick up his scattered armor.  
  
Oh what a miracle!!- the crying face on the helmet, it turned into a grinning face, and now there were two happy smiling faces on the helmet!  
  
The next temple on The'li's and her friends' route was Cancer, and its lord was Deathmask, one of two truly evil Gold Saints, that's why even The'li felt uneasy entering the creepy Temple. She cautiously peeked inside from the doorway, her big, glazing, star like eyes glazing with bold apprehension, and Mime with Alberich crowded behind her.  
  
It did not take too long for The'li to brace herself however. She determinately shook her silky mane that shimmered copper in the rays of the red sun, and proclaimed  
  
"Let's go boys!!!"  
  
and bravely stepped inside. Mime and Alberich had only to follow her.  
  
"Ouch!" said Alberich, and his voice echoed in the spacey darkness of the temple.  
  
"What is it Alberich?" The'li turned to him worriedly.  
  
"I tripped on something" explained Alberich, looking down. "Eww, it's an ugly snout on the pavement!"  
  
"Up yours, weenie!" said the said mask on the ground in a mournful voice. "Stop insulting me, I am a poor soul tortured to death by the evil master of this dungeon and locked in this mask so that even after my death he could trample on me! One of his many victims I am, spare my poor soul...."  
  
The'li looked around and saw thousands and thousands of masks grimacing in agony all around the temple!! Her heart bled seeing so much pain and torture and distorted by suffering faces! She turned to her companions, and there were crystalline tears of compassion shimmering in her brilliant eyes. The'li shook her head decisively then, and her hair coiled down her back like a soft blanket of the purest silk.  
  
"We cannot leave it like this!!!" she cried passionately! "How can I live knowing I did nothing to ease the pain of those poor masks!!!"  
  
"Yes, but how can you do that?" Mime whispered, his adoring eyes flicking from The'li to the masks and back. "I was a witness that you can everything Theli, but how are you going to set those masks to freedom?!"  
  
"It will be difficult and I am afraid it will soooo drain me," The'li nodded very seriously "but I cannot help it, Mime, you must understand!"  
  
She came close to Mime who felt how his heart banged like a drum and breath vanished from such a sweet closeness. She put her gracious hands on Mime's shoulders, looking into his orange eyes with her own wide beautiful orbs and said in a voice breaking with tears  
  
"My dearest loyal Mime.... if... something happens to me... please do not let grief defeat you and carry on with my mission, because it is what really is important!!!"  
  
"Please Theli don't talk like this!!!" Mime pleaded "nothing will happen to you while I am alive! I will do ANYTHING so you could carry on with your mission, because you became the most important person in my life... my own life is a trifle I fiercely would sacrifice for the single flutter of your adorable eyelashes..."  
  
And Mime blushed deeper red than his own armor! Never in his life to anyone before he confessed such important things!  
  
The'li was so deeply touched by Mime's words that she cried! And cuddled Mime!  
  
"Awww, Mime, you are so cute!!!"  
  
And so they stood, gripping each other in a warm embrace until the snide remark from Alberich who felt left out and pouted because of that  
  
"Hem hem, can we get over this anytime soon? I thought we have a job to do, no?"  
  
The'li, eyes shedding tears, stretched one hand to Alberich, inviting him to join the embrace of love and brotherhood  
  
"My dear Alberich! I love you too, you are a very significant part of my life, and I want sooooo much to mean something to you too!"  
  
Alberich showed some false reluctance before joining in, but who could resist The'li? Even Alberich though he still was not going to admit that. But eventually he joined, and three they stood, hugging each other though Mime was hugging The'li more and only pretending he hugged Alberich. The'li's words about Alberich's importance troubled him, you see. Mime felt jealous!  
  
"That's it," The'li sighed after some time "and now these poor masks!"  
  
She gently struggled off Mime's grip, closed her eyes, deeply concentrated and elatedly began the beautiful song  
  
Come As you are As you were As I want you to be As a friend As a friend As a known memory Take your time Hurry up The choice is your Don't be late Take a rest As a friend As a known memory ....  
  
When the last sound tenderly died off, there was a hubbub of the masks  
  
"We are free! Thank you beautiful stranger, we will never forget you!!!"  
  
Instantly, the temple was filled with pale milky ghosts zooming back and fro, looking for the way out. For some time, there was a crowd at the exit, when they found it, but soon it all cleared up and our heroes saw there was not a single mask left in the temple!  
  
Alas! They were not alone to notice the disappearance of the masks! Cancer Deathmask, who was out to check whether other Gold Saints were resurrected as well, that's why The'li didn't see him at first, just got back from the entrance facing Virgo to witness the joyful departure of his masks, and felt seriously pissed. Wouldn't you, if someone vanished the collection you collected your entire life?!!!  
  
"Alright, own up you brats!" he shouted furiously, strolling towards the small company "who did that? Your confession earns you a less painful death!!"  
  
The'li proudly stepped forward and shouted back in a dignified voice  
  
"I did!!! And I do not regret about it, Cancer Deathmask, because what you do here is unworthy of Athena Saint's name! How can you be so cruel to lock and torture these poor masks?!!!"  
  
"Easily," Deathmask answered, involuntarily affected by The'li's courage and beauty "and who is this twit who dares to educate me about my morals?"  
  
"Watch your words!" Mime angrily stepped forward, but The'li put her soft little palm in Mime's hand, hushing him instantly. She yet awarded Mime with a peaceful smile indicating she can take care of this herself and then turned to Deathmask again and said  
  
"My name is The'li C'liffo'th Vril-Ya, and I am here to deliver a very important message to Athena!"  
  
"Oh yeah?" Deathmask suspiciously said "Why should I believe you?"  
  
"What, didn't you feel her omnipotent cosmo that resurrected you ungrateful swine???" Mime bellowed, seething with rage.  
  
"I didn't ask her for that, thank you very much," Deathmask retorted "I felt fine there in Hell. And you will pay for 'swine', mark my words."  
  
"Please, don't argue about trivialities now!!!" The'li begged, joining her hands in a pleading gesture "the threat of Borkrkash the Slobberer is too close and too dangerous for us to linger!!!"  
  
"Borkrkash the Slobberer, who's that?" Deathmask said. He was intrigued to hear about a new Athena's enemy, because if there was a greater delight for his black heart than to collect mask, it was allying with Athena's enemies. He would have allied with Poseidon and Hilda, hadn't he been dead at that time.  
  
"Oh Deathmask, you are so lucky you don't know this vile fiend, the enemy of everyone alive and dead, the atrocious orc vampire wizard!!!" The'li exclaimed. "He wants to turn everything to Hell!!! He wants Athena's Nike!!! He wants..." The'li blushed pinkly and murmured in a dropped voice "...me..."  
  
"He does? Sounds fine by me," Deathmask nastily sniggered. "Will serve you right, you pesky trespasser."  
  
This was just too much for Mime!!! With enraged yell, he dashed at Deathmask, pulling at the strings of his harp to activate them before The'li and Alberich could do anything! Not that Alberich would even if he could, of course, what with his black heart burning with green envy. Had it not been for the masks on the floor, Mime would have succeeded anyway, but he so unfortunately tripped! Awwww!!! And the strings only entangled in the spikes of Deathmask's helmet and knocked it down!  
  
"You worthless pig!!!" Deathmask roared. "How dare you!!! I'll show you now!!!"  
  
He stretched his hands and yelled  
  
"Sekishiki Meikai Ha !!!"  
  
And in front of a horrified The'li and excited Alberich, Mime's soul separated from his pale beautiful body and was sucked into the Black Hole!  
  
"What have you done, Deathmask!!!" The'li sobbed, but instantly shaped up, she no way was going to abandon her dearest friend in trouble. The Black Hole was already closing, but The'li just waggled her alabaster finger and it sized up again! The'li looked at it sadly, then at Deathmask reproachfully and turned to Alberich saying  
  
"Please wait for me, my dear Alberich, I will bring Mime back!"  
  
'Wasted efforts', thought Alberich but said nothing.  
  
The'li graciously flew up in the air and fluttered past a dumbly gaping Deathmask towards the Black Hole. At the edge of it she turned around, smiled at Alberich encouragingly and said  
  
"I'll be back."  
  
And went through the Black Hole!  
  
The world inside of it was doomy and gloomy! It was a dark and stormy night there, too! But The'li instantly managed to find Mime among creepy blue lights and creepy black stones. With his head down, Mime's soul was gloomily strolling away until The'li called out  
  
"Mime!!! It's me, Theli! I came to save you!!!"  
  
Mime's soul looked over his shoulder and lightened up, from grim neon blue turning sweet lovely pink.  
  
"Theli, I didn't have a doubt you would come and save me, no matter what it cost you," he sorrowfully wailed, "but here in Hell I realized what a terrible criminal I was! Not only I killed my dad, but I had impure thoughts about you all that time!"  
  
"Yes yes, I had," he sorrowfully nodded at The'li's compassionate look, "and I know you are so very kind and chivalrous and forgive me, but I cannot forgive myself!"  
  
"Please, Mime!" The'li extended her hands to hug Mime endearingly, but her hands went through Mime's ethereal soul. Mime hovered away a few steps and said  
  
"Goodbye my Theli. You'll be better without such a worthless person like me. I better go and find my daddy and apologize to him, but if anything happens, Theli, if a serious threat will be threatening you, just sing a few tunes of "I'm blue dabadee dabadaa", and I'll break through all walls of Hell to come and aid you!"  
  
"Goodbye, Mime...." The'li whispered, sobbing uncontrollably, her crystalline tears shining blue and instantly adorning Hell's landscape with light of an immense beauty "I will never forget you......"  
  
When The'li was back to the Cancer temple, all determined to chastise Deathmask for his awful deed, he found Deathmask and Alberich discussing something.  
  
"Oh Theli!!!" Deathmask turned to her, and The'li saw tears streaking down his repentful face "Alberich told me what a wonderful person you are and I am sooooooooo sorry to think bad about you! I did not mean any harm! You didn't bring your friend back? What, he did not want to go? Just tell me the word, and I'll be there and down on his thankless soul like a ton of bricks!"  
  
The'li shook her head gently  
  
"Thank you, Deathmask, but I respect his wish to stay dead. I'm so very happy that you saw the error of your ways, though a little late... will you let us pass now?"  
  
"But of course, of course!" Deathmask hurried "The door's over here!"  
  
'One trouble less', mean Alberich regarded poor Mime with this thought, while The'li was leading him towards the Leo temple.  
  
Deathmask, left alone, cried a little more and then decided to honor Mime's body that was left in his Temple, with the most beautiful mask, and hang it in his bedroom, straight in front of his bed.  
  
And The'li's adventure only began!!! 


	5. Chapter Five

Voyager in the storm - Chapter 5  
  
The'li and Alberich were running up the stairs, on their way to the Leo Temple, each sunken in their own thoughts. Let's have a look at what played in their respective minds.  
  
Alberich was watching the beautiful curves of The'li's body as she was running before him, and he thought of Mime and the way he had died for her. In a way, he had thought she would have revived him, but she didn't in the end. So after he had felt rather stupid for not sacrificing himself and thus earning her eternal gratitude, he now praised himself for it. He got rid of Mime without having to do anything for it, and now had The'li all to himself. Hehehe, it was just perfect. He glared at The'li again, she definitely was worth looking at, and he might get another conquest here instead of adorning his amethyst forest.  
  
The'li had totally different things on her beautiful mind, and they involved the birds and the bees, so let's just give her some privacy.  
  
Suddenly a light voice like of angels filled the summer air and a long and perfectly manicured finger pointed ahead of them.  
  
"Look, there is Leo Temple, we're almost there Alberich!!!"  
  
It was The'li who made a very clever remark, noting that the Temple was not far anymore. Alberich nodded, acknowledging that she was right. He was thinking about an equally clever remark that he could make, but right at that moment, someone stepped in their way. It was a woman Saint, wearing a mask, and she held her hands in front of her, to stop them. Alberich recognised her as a friend of the woman he had once defeated, and stepped in front of The'li, as if to protect her. He took a defensive stance, and addressed the Saint.  
  
"Hah!! I know why you are here, you are jealous of Theli's beauty, which is in big contrast to your face that you have to cover by that mask!! But beware, for I will not let you lay one finger on her, you hear me!!!"  
  
His voice raised, and with determination shining in his eyes, he looked very much like the Asgard warrior people feared. The'li looked at him in admiration, but then hugged him from behind, ruining the entire effect.  
  
"Alby sweetie, you are just the best!!!! Thank you so much!!!! But I don't think this woman is here threatening us, am I right?"  
  
This last question was directed at the woman standing before them, while Alberich stood completely still, enjoying the feeling of The'li's arms around him. He had to admit that the fact she was hugging him so tightly made him forget the anger he felt because she spoiled his whole mise-en- scène of the fearless warrior.  
  
The woman in front of them took off her mask, revealing a beautiful face, and big green eyes staring at them, a twinkle shining in those green orbs. Alberich thought it was a mocking light, but before he could say anything, the girl talked.  
  
"You are right Theli, I'm not here to threaten you. Quite on the contrary, I am here to warn you!! You should not go on to Leo Temple, Aiolia has come back from the Hades under evil influence. He will only come to his senses when a living creature dies before his eyes. It's way too dangerous for you to go there."  
  
The girl had a pleading sound in her voice, but Alberich took a step forward and waved his fist in front of her face.  
  
"Do you honestly think you will be able to fool us with that innocent look? Pah, we have gone through more than that, and we'll not be scared by some fairy tale like you are telling!!!"  
  
The'li put a hand on his arm, and softly shook her head, making her long curly golden hair wave around her like a waterfall.  
  
"I think she is telling the truth Alberich!!!"  
  
She looked up at the next Temple, a grave look on her face, but instead that it made her look more ugly, like for so many people, it made her even more angelic and beautiful.  
  
"But we can't back out now, we have already come this far, we must go to the end, we simply must!!!!"  
  
She turned to the Saint in front of her, and took the girl's hands in hers. Her eyes were two big pools of thankfulness and hope. In her sweetest voice she spoke.  
  
"Shaina, with Saints like you around, things must simply end well, they must. But I want to ask you for a favour. If something should happen to me in Leo Temple, please tell my love that I would give my life for him, and that I would definitely come back if he came to look for me."  
  
"But. who?"  
  
The'li simply smiled, baring her white teeth.  
  
"You'll know, you'll know."  
  
She let go of Shaina's hands, turned to Alberich and nodded.  
  
"Let's go!!!"  
  
Alberich nodded back and followed her as her light steps took her upstairs, she almost seemed like she was flying. Alberich tripped once on his way up, and fell flat on his face, but The'li rushed by his side, waved a hand over his face, thus erasing all marks of him having fallen, and off they were.  
  
When they arrived at the entrance of the Temple, The'li stopped and turned to Alberich, who nearly bumped into her.  
  
"Alberich, I would like you to wait here for me, I don't want you to get hurt."  
  
She was going to say something more, but he put his finger on her lips and spoke as silent as her, although his voice didn't sound nearly as angelic.  
  
"Shhh. I'm not going to let you go in there alone, I . I ."  
  
But his throat was suddenly full of emotion, and he could not speak on. He swallowed hard and did his best to get a grip on himself. The'li took his hand and kissed it.  
  
"Thank you! I knew I could count on you. I just don't want you to get hurt!"  
  
Alberich shook his head furiously.  
  
"With you beside me, I know I'll be fine. And I on my turn will protect you!"  
  
He wasn't sure when exactly it happened, but in the short period of time since he knew The'li, she had become the most important person in his life. And moreover, he wasn't reluctant to show it to her either. He wouldn't be so open if anybody else was around, but with her... Just when he wanted to grab her hands to kiss them, she turned away and took a step forward, which made him lose his balance and bump into her. He was afraid he would fall on top of her, but she did not move, she stood as firm as the eternal mountain, and she didn't seem to have noticed his clumsiness, to his great relief.  
  
At the moment she started to walk on, she suddenly gasped. Alberich looked in the same direction as her, but had no idea what could have caught her attention like that. Then The'li took a few steps and started moving her hands, as if she was grasping into thin air. Alberich approached, and when he got really close, he saw what she was doing. There was a spider web, with a huge spider, which clearly fed himself thoroughly lately, and in the spiderweb a tiny little fly had been caught, and was struggling to get free. The'li gently helped it out, without as much as damaging the spider web. It seemed to Alberich that the spider was waving about its legs in an angry fit, but The'li bent closer and whispered something Alberich couldn't understand, and now he had the impression that the spider blushed! No, that was impossible, he was dreaming. He rubbed his eyes thoroughly, and opened them in time just to see The'li set the little fly free, which happily flapped its wings and flew off.  
  
The'li turned to Alberich and happily smiled. He just stood there, staring at her, really not knowing what to say. He tried several times though, opening and closing his mouth without a sound that came out of it. She just tilted her head and patiently waited for him to say something after all. But he finally shook his head and gestured towards the abysmal dark inside of the temple.  
  
They walked into the temple together, until they stood face to face with Aiolia, who wavered on his feet dangerously, as if he could fall any moment. When The'li wanted to approach to help him stand still, he suddenly looked up, his bloodrun eyes seemed to shine with a crimson light. Alberich put his hand on The'li's arm, holding her back. He recognised that look in the other man's eyes, it was the look of a bloodthirsty killer, a look he himself wore often enough.  
  
"Don't approach, it's too dangerous!!!"  
  
The'li wanted to say something to calm Alberich down, that she would fix it, when Aiolia attacked without warning. The'li took the stance to counter the attack, but Alberich, recognising himself in Aiolia, just grabbed her in his arms, and turned her around, so he would stand in between her and the uncoming attack. The shock of seeing Alberich ready to sacrifice himself made her fall on her knees and look up at him, her beautiful emerald eyes shining with unshed tears.  
  
At that moment, Aiolia moved at lightspeed to come up to them in an instant. He grabbed Alberich by the neck, roared "Shineeeeeee!!!!!!" and punched him in the face, so he flew right into one of the pillars, making it break and fall on top of Alberich. The'li sobbed and squealed heartily  
  
"Stop it!!! He's my brother, I don't want him to die, please stop it!!!"  
  
Aiolia just roared with laughter!!!!  
  
"Bwaaaahahaha, die he will, die you all will!!!!"  
  
The'li suddenly remembered Shaina's words though, and stood up in a hurry, making her long hair flow around her with a golden shine, thus attracting Aiolia's attention. She stood in front of him, and for a moment, his eyes turned normal, when he was put under the spell of the beauty of her ivory face, and her golden hair. But then they went red again, and he yelled!!!  
  
The'li didn't let herself be impressed by his rage, but tried to have all the love she had for the human race, shine from her eyes, so she could perhaps help him this way, to be himself again. When she spoke, it was in her most velvet voice.  
  
"No Aiolia, you will only kill one person, and I can assure you it will not be Alberich!!! I have stood around to see members of my family be killed for too long. I lost all my younger sisters and brothers due to Borkrash, and now you won't kill the only sibling I have left!!!"  
  
Aiolia was just blinded by her shining eyes, and could not move. This gave Alberich the time to break free from the pile of debris on top of his head. He ran over to The'li and took her hands in his.  
  
"Are you serious? I'm your brother???"  
  
The'li nodded, got her hands out of Alberich's and took his face in her hands. Alberich thought her touch was as soft as silk and closed his eyes, flocking his one cheek against the silky softness. Aiolia however seemed to get rather upset that nobody was paying him - the really bad guy with the bad temper, as he proudly thought of himself currently - any attention. So he just stomped his foot on the floor - as a spoilt brat - and started to launch another attack.  
  
The'li had seen that coming, grabbed Alberich, and pushed him behind her. Despite her frail appearance, she had lots of strength, and Alberich didn't manage to struggle free. They both closed their eyes, waiting for the bolt to hit them, but when it stayed quiet, they both peeked from behind their eyelids, and noticed that Aiolia was just standing there, looking at them, then looking at his own balled hands and looking at them again.  
  
The'li let go of Alberich and stepped forward hesitatingly.  
  
"Aiolia, are you ok?"  
  
Aiolia nodded hesitatingly, overwhelmed and confused.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
When he spoke, his voice had lost the furious rage it had just instants ago, and his eyes shone with the same rational light as it had always, before the spell. The'li approached him and nodded her head slowly.  
  
"I'm not quite sure. You were under a spell, and apparently it could only be broken when you killed someone. I'm not dead, soooo I wonder. why did you turn normal now? ."  
  
She suddenly returned, her face pale as that of a beautiful corpse, that had only just died, not having decayed yet.  
  
"Alberich!!!"  
  
But the God Warrior was just standing there as well, big eyes, a blush on his cheeks, and very much alive. She sighed in relief, and went to give him a big hug. He didn't understand why he deserved this, but took advantage of her arms around him, and leaned in against her, hugging her in return.  
  
"For a moment there I thought I had missed Aiolia's attack, and that you were. you were."  
  
She couldn't go on, and sighed and swallowed hard. She tousled his hair and chuckled.  
  
"Good thing I was mistaken."  
  
Aiolia had taken a step back and had crouched against the wall, when The'li turned back to him, and gasped, tears filling her eyes. She knelt close by Aiolia, and was staring at the floor, soon followed by Alberich and Aiolia himself. Aiolia just stared at the little black spot on the floor, not knowing what could have upset the girl in his temple like this. But realization slowly dawned on Alberich, and he slowly put his arm around her shoulder. He respectfully said  
  
"I'm sorry Theli, but remember, he died a heroic death, saving our lives."  
  
Aiolia was still looking incomprehensibly, when The'li picked up the little corpse of a fly, from the floor. Tears almost blocking her throat, she whispered  
  
"I saved his life just minutes ago. And now it seems he paid us back this way. It would seem that when you stomped your foot, he flew underneath it, and thus broke the spell."  
  
She couldn't go on, and started sobbing loudly. Alberich just patted her back, not knowing what else to do. Aiolia in return was quite impressed by the young woman in front of him, and was getting signals through from the first gold Saints about her identity and what she was doing here. He stayed quiet for a while, during which she kept crying, but then he lifted her head, so he could gaze into the depths of those eyes, that looked like the most precious gems of the world.  
  
"I will do the honourable thing, and to thank him for breaking the spell, I will give him the proper burial."  
  
The'li stopped crying, as his words touched something deep in her heart, making her feel ever so thankful for meeting all these wonderful people. She carefully handed the poor creature to Aiolia, who respectfully held it, and bowed at The'li.  
  
"Continue your way now, I believe that your business is quite urgent. I will make sure he is being paid the due respect."  
  
She gave him a shining smile, and hugged him carefully.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She nodded at Alberich, who courteously bowed at Aiolia, and left the temple at her side. After he was sure Aiolia couldn't hear them anymore, he asked her something that was on his mind ever since she told him he was her brother.  
  
"Can you tell me how it is possible I am your brother?"  
  
She stopped at the exit of the temple, and invited him to sit down beside her on the few steps outside.  
  
"I know your father told you that your mother died, but . well, she didn't."  
  
She waited for his reaction, but instead of getting angry as she thought he would, he just looked at her with big eyes. She thought he looked so young and fragile right then and there, and took his one hand in hers.  
  
"She was kidnapped by the former ruler of my Kingdom, and was forced to marry with him. But then daddy saved her, and the whole population, and since by then she heard your dad had also died, she married my daddy. Apparently Asgard spies had falsely informed her that you were dead as well, because she surely would have come to get you if she had known you were still alive, she would never have abandoned you. She often cried over you, when she thought I couldn't hear or see her."  
  
Tears were shimmering in Alberich's green eyes, and he noticed that the green of her eyes was indeed very similar to his own, although it really couldn't be compared, for her eyes always shone with an unearthly beauty, whereas his were just plain old green. Then he hugged her tightly and whispered, his face hidden in the golden flow of her shining long hair, that felt silky soft.  
  
"Thank you for telling me this Theli, and I'm so glad you found me!!!"  
  
She just shook her head against his, and had to refrain herself from crying as well. This was just too joyous an event to shed tears over it.  
  
"I'm happy too Alberich. Do you understand now why I don't want you to die? I don't want to loose the only brother I have left!!!!"  
  
He looked at her and shook his head in turn.  
  
"I don't want to loose you either, not now that I just found you!!!"  
  
She gave him a dazzling smile, and got up, pulling him up as well.  
  
"Then let's continue on our way, and we'll protect each other!!!"  
  
He nodded, smiled happily, and they continued their way hand in hand.  
  
Up and up our happy sister and brother went until they reached their next Temple - Virgo! There was no sign of any living being around save but two big plaster statues on both sides of the entrance. Alberich crept past them warily, because statues looked big and mean, but of course no sign of fear ever distorted The'li's brilliant features, as she marched whistling in!  
  
What a surprise! Inside of the temple there was a big sunny garden instead of expected ugly walls of stones!  
  
"Awwww, Alberich, lookie! Garden!! Flowers! Butterflies! Awwww, cute fluffy bunnies!!!" The'li chimed in unalloyed delight, dancing and twirling around the garden. "Isn't it simply fantastic!!!"  
  
Alberich always preferred amethysts and his evil trees to any kind of flowers, but he of course got completely infected by his sister's innocent happy joy! He pranced towards here, trampling down flowers and squishing an occasional butterfly on his way, he then took her hands in his and they started to dance joyfully and happily, circling around the meadow and singing  
  
little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear here comes the sun here comes the sun and I say it's alright!  
  
It looked that yellow golden sun was smiling and bouncing up and down in tact with their little happy song! Not to mention the butterflies and bats that fluttered around their heads, kissing their faces softly with their velvet wings! Then the colorful butterflies formed a halo around The'li's golden haired head, and it was so beautiful that Alberich couldn't keep his eyes away, and as he couldn't both admire his darling sister's ethereal beauty and watch where he was going, he stepped over something and tripped and flopped loudly face into meadow.  
  
"Ow watch your steps, my clumsy little bro!"  
  
The'li chirped with a big smile that was not mocking at all and extended her small delicate hand to help Alberich to stand up.  
  
"Atchoo!" sadly sneezed Alberich who was allergic to pollen, then when he turned to look on what he tripped his eyes become two green round pools of surprise!  
  
There was a man of incredible beauty drifting a few inches over the grass, with his legs crossed and eyes closed. The warm wind was slowly billowing his golden hair, almost as long and beautiful as The'li's but not quite. He wore the loose white silken robe that could not hide the form of his perfectly shaped legs.  
  
"Who is he?" Alberich asked his sister being sure she will know the answer to everything.  
  
"It must be Shaka the Virgo Gold Saint and the man closest to the god!!!" The'li whispered affectionately, brushing the butterflies from her nose because they blocked the view.  
  
Alberich suddenly felt a sharp pang of jealousy through his heart, because The'li was looking at the man so lovingly! Of course, it was no way evil lustful jealousy, nothing like that but simply Alberich was jealous like younger baby would crave attention of his big and strong sibling (Alberich in fact was older than The'li but he felt so like totally younger and helpless in vicinity of The'li's ultimate wisdom). So he sneered  
  
"Oh really, closest to the god, big deal! And which god would that be, pray tell?"  
  
"Me!"  
  
There was a thunderous boom out of the blue sky, followed by suspicious sounds, and BANG! Out of the same sky a man landed before them with a thud, then stood up, dusted his long black coat, adjusted his tie and then flashed a big white and a bit gap-toothed grin at The'li and Alberich.  
  
Alberich gaped at the man with his mouth open until a curious butterfly flew in and made him cough, but he never stopped gaping! It was okay to gape though, because he never saw someone like this before - the man from the sky was of black skin, he had a bald head and round dark glasses were perching on his nose.  
  
"Wh-wh-wh-who are you????" Alberich astoundedly stuttered.  
  
"I am the god closest to this man! We are so very very close" the black bald creature proclaimed proudly as he leant and kissed the sleeping blonde beauty on his round cheek and lovingly fondled his knee.  
  
"Yuuuuck!" said Alberich and wrinkled his nose, because he scorned all that puppy love from the bottom of his heart, but then he glanced over at The'li who was all smiling like she saw the most beautiful picture and got embarrassed with himself, so unwrinkled his nose and said  
  
"Come again, who are you?"  
  
The bald black man wound his hand around beautiful blonde's neck and said  
  
"I'm Morpheus. The god of sleep. Who are you?"  
  
But then he looked like he recognized them, because his grin, impossible as it might seem, become even wider and he boomed  
  
"Why but it is little Theli! Of course!!! Am I happy to see you here girl!!!"  
  
The'li smiled back and pressed her dainty finger to her soft lips and said  
  
"Sheesh, Morpheus my dear!! There's no need to betray my true origin because I want to tell my brother it myself and you would spoil my fun! And you risk waking beautiful Shaka up!"  
  
"Excuse me..." Alberich confusedly began but The'li cuddled him saying sweetly  
  
"Comes time, my sweet brother, and you will know everything!! Now we must ask Morpheus how we can pass the Virgo Temple!"  
  
Morpheus examined Alberich over the top of his mirrored glasses and boomed  
  
"This is your mortal brother Theli? Good choice of hair, it's your favorite color, right?"  
  
The'li nodded at him, waves of her shiny golden hair streaming around her perfect oval of face.  
  
"Say my dear Morpheus, how may we pass this meadowed domain of Shaka and you?"  
  
Morpheus rummaged in the pockets of his black coat muttering something under his nose, said 'Gotcha!' and stretched his palms towards The'li and Alberich. There was a blue pill on one palm and red pill on another palm.  
  
"Choose your pill and if you chose right you will pass"  
  
He said but then took a closer look at the blue pill, blushed deep red and rumbled  
  
"On the other hand I think you are of no need for the blue pill, you being a girl The'li, and your young brother looks like he can do without such things yet, so I better keep it for myself, later I will need it I think."  
  
He threw a lusty look at Shaka who said nothing but silently snored 'ZZZzzzZzz...' and cut the red pill into 2 halves which he gave to The'li and Alberich.  
  
"Just swallow them kids, and it's OK."  
  
Alberich took his half cautiously, but as he saw how fearlessly The'li took and swallowed her pill without any trace of fear on her beautiful alabaster face and no hesitation in her bottomless eyes of blue purity and not even crumpled, he braced himself too and took a tentative lick at the pill.  
  
"Ouch! It's sour!" he then complained.  
  
Morpheus patiently explained  
  
"That's because of the ascorbic acid what makes the base of this pill. Don't be afraid, it is very useful acid, gives you energy you will surely need in your journey upstairs. Come on, swallow it!"  
  
Alberich did as he was told and for his enormous surprise the meadow and sky around him started to melt! Until was nothing left and he found himself inside the Virgo temple that looked like any other temple he passed through save that its walls were decorated with fancy frescos.  
  
The'li of course was not surprised at all as she looked around with her eyes shining like stars in the night and gasping  
  
"What a beautiful temple!!!"  
  
Alberich blinked in confusion and stuttered  
  
"What happened? Where are all the butterflies gone????"  
  
Shaka now floated over the chair in a form of water lily but he did not wake up, however. Morpheus slightly pushed him to hover aside of the chair and plonked onto it, crossing his long legs comfortably.  
  
"The pill contained reality essence, my boy. Now you see Virgo temple free of its illusions. Welcome to real world, Alberich."  
  
Alberich wanted to say something, but Shaka chose this exact moment to loudly crash on the ground.  
  
"Darn!!! I keep forgetting the gravity field of his chair works only when he's directly above it!!!" Morpheus cursed jumping up and propping Shaka up. Shaka fought against it with great dignity at the same time speaking up with his cool wise perfectly intonated voice  
  
"Ouch. It seems I dropped down. This leads to conclusion I was pushed from my gravichair. Which accordingly leads to the fact that someone had to do it. Since I am not expecting any visitors, this can mean the only thing: my house is plagued with intruders. Therefore I must fight and now will open my eyes to scorch those puny infidels. Thus spoken I."  
  
The'li gasped with horror, her big beautiful eyes becoming even bigger.  
  
"Oh no! Shaka's eyes are as dangerous as laser guns, we must not let him open them!!!"  
  
But it was too late!! Shaka slowly started to lift his eyelids framed with thick black curly lashes! His eyes even when closed radiated so much power and enchantment that Alberich who happened to stand directly in front of him, felt trapped like poor fly in the spider web, rooted in place by Shaka's hypnotizing gaze! Soon, he felt so very hot as the eyes were opening wider and wider, and still he couldn't move!  
  
God only knows how it would have ended if not for courage and quick wit of The'li! She scuttled to Morpheus and with one lightning fast snap of her accurate hand she swept his sunglasses of his nose and put them over Shaka's eyes! Exactly at the same moment when he completely opened them!  
  
Shaka frowned and said  
  
"Why is it so dark here? Is it night already?"  
  
"No those are my glasses, you big silly," Morpheus rumbled lovingly "and if you promise to holster your weapons I will take them away and you will see who honored us with a visit!"  
  
Shaka blinked and said  
  
"Oh, okay. It's done and though my eyes will stay open it won't hurt."  
  
So Morpheus could have his glasses back and Shaka's eyes of immense shade of blue opened for Alberich's inspection and admiration. He decided that those were the third cutest eyes he had ever seen, after The'li's blazing stars of emerald and his own of course. Still they were very cute, he approved.  
  
In the meantime Shaka paid no attention whatsoever to Alberich, his attention fully and completely gobbled by the immaculate beauty of The'li C'liffo'th Vril-Ya. He looked and looked and looked unblinking, Alberich's angry 'Ahem!' was completely lost on him and only when Morpheus scowled and plucked on his golden mane did Shaka woke up from bedazzlement and spoke in shaking voice  
  
"I have a feeling I know you, oh beautiful stranger. I have a feeling I have known you for eternity and more, but my mind is astounded, clouded and completely out of order in the wake of your supremacy! Don't keep humble servant of god in ignorance, tell me your name!!!"  
  
"Servant my bum," Morpheus grumbled but without real jealousy because he was a god and could perceive the fundamental innocence of Shaka's love to The'li. He knew their secret too...  
  
The'li shook her head with infinite tenderness and whispered  
  
"My darling precious Shaka, I promise you will remember everything when time comes...now will you let us pass?"  
  
"How can I not to, when you made your way to my heart with no resistance at all? Of course you may pass...but you will come back to me, will you?"  
  
The'li cupped Shaka's face between her soft palms and kissed him gently on both cheeks.  
  
"I promise I will, Shaka. Now I must go."  
  
Alberich didn't get a single clue about what was happening but even he understood there happened something gravely important and he did not dare to disturb the significance of the moment with his comments, so he simply waited until The'li was done and then followed her to the exit, turning around only to say 'See ya!' to Morpheus who brandished his blue pill with a very meaningful look.  
  
To be continued, by great demand ^___________^ 


End file.
